4 Writing Methods Writing the summary; the author's aim; how the written piece of work makes the reader feel; and the underlying tone are all aspects of practical critique. Pinterest has this and other How to Write Prose by Note for You Pins. Learn how to write practical criticism of prose with our collection of writing tutorials. There are four main ways of writing practical criticism: analyzing, evaluating, instructing, and describing. Each method can be used to write about a different aspect of language use. It is important to know which method to use when writing practical criticism because each one requires a different level of expertise and knowledge. Analyzing prose uses your understanding of grammar and vocabulary to identify errors in usage or structure. Evaluating prose is similar to analyzing in that it requires you to look at the text as a whole but instead of making corrections you will simply state whether the text is good or bad. Instructing others how to write uses what you have learned from reading and practicing commentary on literature to provide guidance to others who want to write about similar topics. Describing prose is the most general method because it does not involve correcting any errors found within the text. Instead, it focuses solely on how the writer constructs their sentences and uses language to express themselves. Practical criticism can be used to find faults in other people's work or ideas. It is also useful for pointing out problems with language use in formal documents such as essays or reports.