THE STRUCTURE OF

ENGLISH TEXT

By :

GROUP 4
Aulia Risqa Handayani 1852044011
Rezky Ramdani 1852044015
Wahdaniah 1852044017

FACULTY OF LANGUAGES AND LITERATURES

STATE UNIVERSITY OF MAKASSAR
2018
 THE STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH TEXTS

A. English Texts

Linguistics or grammatical developments center on the sentence and type of

words that become discourse analysis. Discourse analysis have oral (linguistic) and
nonverbal (nonlinguistic) elements. Linguistic elements of discourse analysis are the
highest lingual units in the linguistic hierarchy. Meanwhile, the nonlinguistic elements
that surround it contain unlimited knowledge and information. So it can be said that
discourse analysis are languages that have broad and interrelated aspects between one
language unit and another.

As for the elements related to the discourse analysis, one of them is text, where
this material is discussed in this paper, which relates to the structure of English text. The
text is a grammar that has unity and cohesion in which there are contents and forms in
accordance with the meaning and purpose.

In Linguistics Dictionary of Kridalaksana (2011:238), state that the text is (1) the
most complete language unit that abstract, (2) a series of sentences, words, etc. that form
speech, (3) speech produced in human interaction. From this definition it can be
concluded that the text has two ways, there are the form of writing and oral result from
interaction or communication between people. Luxemburg (1989) states that text is an
expression of content, syntactic, and pragmatic language which is a unity. Based on this
opinion, there are at least three things that must exist in a text, namely content, syntactic,
pragmatic. First, the content is the meaning of a text. Second, syntactic is interpreted as
structure of sentence. Third, pragmatic which is related to the situation or state of the
language used in certain circumstances. In this case the text includes linguistic elements
that are written to oral in terms of the intent and meaning suggested. The text has the
unity and cohesion between the content that want to convey and the form of speech, and
the situation in which it exists. In other words, that the text is in the form of an expression
in the form of language which consists of one unit between the content, shape and
situation of the conditions of use.

Based on the definition of text from the experts, it can be concluded that the text is
the cohesion and unity of words in the content and form of sentences or paragraphs that
are oral or written result from two or more people who communicate.

Many people exchange the terms text and discourse analysis. Actually, the term
text is closer to the meaning of written language, and discourse analysis on spoken
language (Dede Oetomo, 1993: 4). In written tradition, texts are monologically non-
interacting, and oral discourse analysis is an interaction dialogue. In this context, the
difference between the two terms in terms of their use. However, on the basis of these
different emphases, two traditions of understanding emerged in the field of linguistics,
namely linguistic analysis of texts and discourse analysis. Linguistic analysis of direct
texts relies on the object of study in the form of formal forms of language, namely
vocabulary and sentences. While discourse analysis requires the inclusion of an analysis
of the context of the occurrence of a speech.

B. Genre Text

Etymologically, the word genre comes from the word ‘genus’ in Latin which
means "type" or "group of things" (Bawarshi and Reiff, 2010: 4). The term genre was
originally used in the field of literature to refer to the types of literary works such as
poetry, prose, and drama (Hyon, 1996: 693; Johns, 2002: 3; Santosa, 2010: 69; Wiratno,
2010: 198). The concept of genre in the field of literature was first used by Aristotle, a
Greek philosopher, in grouping "natural forms" of poetry into epics, lyrics, and drama.
This genre concept was first developed by Brahmin, a Russian scientist, to include works
outside the field of literature, such as advertisements, news reports, and scientific essays
(Ren, 2010: 1). In some genre analysis literature, the term genre is usually paired with the
term types of text (Paltridge, 2002: 73) so that various types of text are known, such as
abstracts, book reviews, business letters, cartoons, casual opinions, announcements,
discussions, essays, reviews films, instructions, interviews, memos, obituaries, personal
records, personal letters, news reports, novels, usage instructions, research reports,
biographies, sonnets, academic calendars, etc. (Maurer, 2002: 61).

The type of texts or genre texts can be distinguished based on generic structure and
language Features. Generic structure is a structure that is formed from differences in
paragraph functions in building a discourse or text (such as a thesis, argument, climax,
etc.). Language Features is use of language (grammar and diction) to build a discourse or
text. Based on generic structure and language Features, the texts that are often found can
be grouped into three groups of texts namely; (1) Narrative text groups, (2) Descriptive
text groups and (3) Argumentative text groups.

Narrative text groups can be divided into several genres such as; (a) Narrative, (b)
Recount, (c) Anecdote, (d) Spoof, (e) and News item (news item). The types of genres
above made with the aim of informing something in the form of stories.

a) Narrative Text
Purpose : to amuse/ entertain the readers and to tell a story.
Generic Structure :
1. Orientation
2. Complication
3. Resolution

Language Features :

1. Using Past Tense

2. Using Action Verb
3. Chronologically Arranged
 b) Recount Text
Purpose : to retell something that happened in the past and to tell a series of
past event.
Generic Structure :
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Reorientation

Language Features :

1. Using Past Tense

2. Using Action Verb
3. Using Adjectives
c) Anecdote Text

Purpose : to share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident.

Generic Structure :
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Reaction
5. Coda

Language Features :

1. Using material process

2. Using temporal conjunction
d) Spoof
Purpose: to tell an event with a humorous twist and entertain the readers
Generic Structure :
1. Structure
2. Orientation
3. Event(s)
4. Twist

Language Features :

1. Generic structure
2. News events
3. Background event(s)

Descriptive text groups are divided into several genres such as; (a)
Descriptive, (b) Report, (c) Procedure and (d) Explanation. Genres of this type are
basically made to describe something or the process of something happening and is
not intended to tell something.
(a) Descriptive Text

Purpose : to describe a particular person, place or thing in detail.

Generic Structure

1. Identification
2. Description

Language Features :

1. Using simple present tense

2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Using special technical terms
(b) Report Text

Purpose : to presents information about something, as it is.

Generic Structure :

1. General Classification
2. Description

Language Features :

1. Introducing group or general aspect

2. Using conditional logical connection
3. Using simple present tense
(c) Procedure Text

Purpose : to help readers how to do or make something completely.

Generic structure :

1. Goal/Aim
2. Materials/Equipment
3. Steps/Methods

Language Features :

1. Using simple present tense

2. Using imperatives sentence
3. Using adverb
4. Using technical terms
 (d) Explanation Text

Purpose : to explain the processes involved in the formation or working of

natural or socio-cultural phenomena.

Generic Structure :

1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing

Language Features :

1. Using simple present tense

2. Using passive verbs
3. Using noun phrase
4. Using adverbial phrase
5. Using technical terms
6. Using general and abstract noun
7. Using action
8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.

Argumentative text groups are divided into several genres such as; a)
Analytical exposition, b) Hortatory exposition, c) Discussion and d) Argumentative.
These genres were created with the aim of exploring arguments aimed at answering
the "why" and "how" questions.

a) Analytical Exposition

Purpose : to reveal the readers that something is the important case.

Generic Structure

1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Reiteration/Conclusion

Language Features

1. Using modals
2. Using action verbs
3. Using thinking verbs
4. Using adverbs
5. Using adjectives
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using connectives/transition
b) Hortatory Exposition
Purpose : to persuade the readers that something should or should not be the
case or be done.
Generic Structure :
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Recommendation

Language Features :

1. Using simple present tense

2. Using modals
3. Using action verbs
4. Using thinking verbs
5. Using adverbs
6. Using adjectives
7. Using technical terms
8. Using general and abstract noun
9. Using connectives/ transition
c) Discussion
Purpose : to present information and opinions about issues in more one side of
an issue.
Generic Structure :
1. Issue
2. Arguments for and against
3. Conclusion

Language Features :

1. Using simple present tense

2. Use of relating verb/to be
3. Using thinking verbs
4. Using general and abstract noun
5. Using conjunction/transition
6. Using modality
7. Using adverb of manner
d) Argumentative Text
Purpose : to explain the reader that something is important.
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Argument (-argument)
3. Reiteration / Conclusion
 Language Features:
1. Using modalities
2. Using action verbs
3. Using verbs related to the mind; feeling, thinking, etc.
4. Using general and abstract nouns
5. Using connectors

Conclusion
Based on the definition of text from the experts, it can be concluded that the text is
the cohesion and unity of words in the content and form of sentences or paragraphs that
are oral or written result from two or more people who communicate. The type of texts or
genre texts can be distinguished based on generic structure and language Features.
Generic structure is a structure that is formed from differences in paragraph functions in
building a discourse or text (such as a thesis, argument, climax, etc.). Language Features
is use of language (grammar and diction) to build a discourse or text. Based on generic
structure and language Features, the texts that are often found can be grouped into three
groups of texts namely; (1) Narrative text groups, (2) Descriptive text groups and (3)
Argumentative text groups.

References
http://blog-yoso.blogspot.com/2015/11/genre-jenis-teks-berdasar-
jenis-budaya.html
https://pusatbahasaalazhar.wordpress.com/pesona-puisi/pembagian-
jenis-jenis-wacana-genre-teks/
http://fitrayoupika.blogspot.com/2014/11/teks-koteks-konteks-dan-
hubungan.html
http://genretextinenglish.blogspot.com/2011/10/generic-structure-of-
english-texts.html