What are the conventions of commentary essays or articles?

- tackle or explore ideas arising from newsworthy events or topical issues - Share similarities with text that argue or persuade, but may be more exploratory in nature - Demonstrate understanding about topic in question - Provide explanatory background information for 'non expert' reader - Presents ideas in present tense to explain current situation, may use past to fill in context detail - Usually written in first person, may bel ess personal than 'persuasive' texts.