Book excerpt: Genres are important when it comes to reading for a variety of reasons. First, if we can identify the genre of the text, we can predict some of the content and language used within it. Speech prediction is a popular reading technique that allows you to become a proficient reader. Next, by identifying the genre of the text, you can employ a topdown strategy that also helps you read the text. If we can identify a text as a horoscope, a set of instructions, etc., we expect to find specific functions and specific linguistic instances (both structural and lexical). Thirdly, identifying the genre also helps you decide whether or not to read a text! So if you can determine that the text is a horoscope, you can choose not to read it.