What Are Rhetorical Modes? | Definition & Examples

Rhetorical modes are strategies for presenting information in writing and speech, such as narration, description, exposition, and argumentation. Writers use these modes to shape their ideas, guide readers, and achieve a specific purpose.

What are rhetorical modes?

Rhetorical modes, also called patterns of organization or methods of development, are techniques that help us organize our writing to match our purpose. When we email our manager about a workplace issue, write a recipe, or prepare a job application, we instinctively structure our writing differently: to describe events, provide instructions, or persuade someone to hire us.

Sometimes an assignment will specify a rhetorical mode (like a persuasive essay), but often the mode emerges naturally from our topic and goal. A journalist investigating river pollution, for instance, will likely use cause and effect to explore why contamination occurs.

Also, rhetorical modes aren’t mutually exclusive; writers blend different rhetorical modes and move between them fluidly. That same journalist might combine cause-and-effect analysis with persuasive writing to urge community action.

Understanding rhetorical modes benefits both readers and writers. As readers, recognizing an author’s rhetorical mode helps us better comprehend texts and think more critically about how arguments and information are presented. As writers, rhetorical modes make our communication clearer and more effective by helping us organize our ideas and signal our intentions to readers.

Rhetorical modes types

Each rhetorical mode has a specific purpose, from telling stories to explaining ideas clearly. The following section breaks down the main modes, including the four most common and several additional ones, with examples showing how each is used.

1. Narration

The purpose of narration is to tell a story. Every time we tell our friends about how we almost missed our flight home on Christmas Eve, we’re engaging in this rhetorical mode. In narration, information is presented in some kind of logical order, usually chronological.

Narration examples include:

• (Auto)biographies
• Travel writing
• Short stories
• Anecdotes

2. Description

In description, the writer (or speaker) uses vivid descriptions (also known as sensory details) that appeal to our sense of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. The goal here is not just to convey information but to bring something to life, such as a place, a memory, a person, or an object, often highlighting its emotional significance. Writers often weave description into other rhetorical modes, like narration.

Description examples can be found in:

• Journal entries
• Poetry
• Travel writing
• Literature

3. Argumentation/Persuasion

Argumentation and persuasion are rhetorical modes used to convince an audience to accept a point of view or take action (sometimes both). Argumentation and persuasion are usually presented together in textbooks, since they often work together. However, it’s good to be aware that argumentation refers specifically to the use of logic and evidence (appeal to logos), while persuasion focuses on influencing an audience by appealing to their emotions (appeal to pathos) and values (appeal to ethos).

Examples of argumentation/persuasion include:

• Editorials and op-eds
• Copywriting
• Resumes
• Cover letters
• Persuasive essays

4. Exposition

Exposition, or expository writing, is used to explain or inform the audience about a topic. The focus is on presenting facts, evidence, or widely accepted ideas rather than the author’s personal opinion. This mode helps readers grasp concepts, processes, or information clearly and logically.

Examples of expository writing include:

• Technical writing
• Textbooks
• News stories
• How-to articles
• Recipes

Exposition is often subdivided into other modes: 

• Classification
• Definition
• Process analysis
• Exemplification
• Cause and effect
• Compare and contrast

Classification

Classification breaks down broad subjects into smaller, manageable parts. It organizes information into categories based on shared characteristics.

Examples of classification include:

• Technical writing (e.g., types of computer memory)
• Business reports (e.g., customer segmentation or product types)
• Scientific reports (e.g., classifying experimental results)
• Academic textbooks (e.g., classifying diseases based on their causes)

Definition

Definition goes beyond dictionary meanings to clarify abstract concepts or shape understanding of an issue.

Examples of definition can be found in:

• Essays
• Speeches
• Research papers
• Textbooks

Process analysis

Process analysis provides a detailed and step-by-step explanation of how to do something (e.g., change a tire) or how something works (e.g., how a hurricane is formed).

Examples of process analysis can be found in:

• Technical writing
• Academic writing 
• Lab reports

Exemplification

Exemplification is the rhetorical mode that uses specific examples to support or clarify a point. Examples can come from personal experience, statistics, or hypothetical scenarios. By providing examples, writers bolster their main point or clarify abstract concepts.

You’ll find exemplification in:

• Essays
• Research papers
• Case studies
• Resumes
• Speeches

Cause and effect

Cause and effect examines why something happened and what resulted from it, sometimes moving from effects back to causes.

Examples of cause and effect in writing include:

• Historical analyses
• Investigative journalism pieces
• Reflective essays
• Argumentative essays

Compare and contrast

Writers use this rhetorical mode to examine the similarities (compare) or differences (contrast) between two or more subjects. The goal is often to clarify a topic, analyze its relationship to another, or argue for the advantages of one option over another. The key is to choose two subjects that can be compared in a meaningful way.

Examples of compare and contrast can be found in:

• Essays
• Product reviews
• Academic writing

Rhetorical modes examples

School assignments, workplace tasks, and creative writing prompts often guide the choice of rhetorical mode. Some prompts explicitly require a specific mode, while others leave room for selecting the mode that best conveys your ideas. Recognizing these cues helps you organize your writing and effectively reach your audience.

School/college assignments

Workplace/professional writing

Creative/personal writing 

FAQs for the article rhetorical modes

What is a process analysis essay?

A process analysis essay explains how to do something or how something works, step by step. It’s like giving clear, logical instructions so readers can follow along and understand the process from start to finish. When writing such an essay, QuillBot’s Grammar Checker can help ensure your instructions are precise, readable, and error-free.

What are the four rhetorical modes?

The four main rhetorical modes are narration, description, exposition, and argumentation/persuasion. Narration tells a story, description paints a vivid picture using sensory details, exposition explains or informs, and argumentation/persuasion aims to convince or inspire action. 

Struggling to get your point across? Use QuillBot’s Paraphraser to put your ideas into words that fit your chosen rhetorical mode.

What is an exemplification essay?

An exemplification essay makes a point by using concrete examples. These can be drawn from personal experience, statistics, or hypothetical scenarios. It’s a way of making abstract ideas easier to grasp and more relatable for your readers. If you’re including research or quotes, properly credit your sources using QuillBot’s Citation Generator.