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Explanation Text Definition, Generic Structures, Purposes, Language Features

The document defines explanation text as a type of text that explains how or why natural, social, scientific, and cultural phenomena occur. Explanation texts typically use simple present tense, abstract nouns, passive voice, and action verbs. They provide a general statement about a topic, followed by a sequenced explanation of the steps in a process. Examples provided explain how rain forms, how chocolate is made from cacao beans, and how cancer develops at the cellular level.

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Ruby M
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7K views

Explanation Text Definition, Generic Structures, Purposes, Language Features

The document defines explanation text as a type of text that explains how or why natural, social, scientific, and cultural phenomena occur. Explanation texts typically use simple present tense, abstract nouns, passive voice, and action verbs. They provide a general statement about a topic, followed by a sequenced explanation of the steps in a process. Examples provided explain how rain forms, how chocolate is made from cacao beans, and how cancer develops at the cellular level.

Uploaded by

Ruby M
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Explanation Text ; Definition, Generic

Structures, Purposes, Language


Features

Definition of Explanation Text


Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific and
cultural phenomena. Explanation text is to say ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the forming of the phenomena.
It is often found in science, geography and history text books.

Generic Structure of Explanation Text


– General statement
General statement; stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.
– Sequenced of explanation
Sequenced explanation; stating a series of steps which explain the phenomena.

Purpose of Explanation Text


– Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific, and
cultural phenomena.
– To explain how or why something happens.
According to Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson (1997: 82) says that the explanation text
type is often used to tell how and why thing (phenomena) occur in nature.

Language Features of Explanation Text


In an explanation text, there are linguistic features as below :
– Using simple present tense
– Using abstract noun (no visible noun)
– Using Passive voice
– Using Action verbs
– Containing explanation of the process ..

Examples of Explanation Text

Example of Explanation Text about Natural Phenomenon

How does Rain Happen?

Rain is the primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world, providing suitable
conditions for diverse ecosystems, as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop
irrigation.
The phenomenon of rain is actually a water circle. The concept of the water cycle involves the
sun heating the Earth’s surface water and causing the surface water to evaporate. The water
vapor rises into the Earth’s atmosphere. The water in the atmosphere cools and condenses into
liquid droplets. The droplets grow until they are heavy and fall to the earth as precipitation which
can be in the form of rain or snow.

However, not all rain reaches the surface. Some evaporates while falling through dry air. This is
called virga, a phenomenon which is often seen in hot, dry desert regions

Example of Explanation Text about Process of Making Chocolate

How Chocolate is Made

Have we wondered how we get chocolate from? Well this time we will enter the amazing world of
chocolate so we can understand exactly we are eating.

Chocolate starts a tree called cacao tree. This tree grows in equatorial regions, especially in
place such as South America, Africa, and Indonesia. The cacao tree produces a fruit about the
size of a small pine apple. In side the fruits are the tree’s seeds. They are also known as coco
beans.

Next, the beans are fermented for about a week, dried in the sun. After that they are shipped to
the chocolate maker. The chocolate maker starts processing by roasting the beans to bring out
the flavour. Different beans from different places have different qualities and flavour. So they are
often shorted and blended to produce a distinctive mix.

The next process is winnowing. The roasted beans are winnowed to remove the meat nib of the
cacao bean from its shell. Then the nibs are blended. The blended nibs are grounded to make it
liquid. The liquid is called chocolate liquor. It tastes bitter.

All seeds contain some amount of fat and cacao beans are not different. However, cacao beans
are half fat, which is why they ground nibs from liquid. It is pure bitter chocolate.

Example of Explanation Text – How a Cancer is Formed

How a Cancer is formed

What is cancer? It is actually a group of more than one hundred separate diseases. Most of us
are fear from cancer It is reasonable because next to heart disease, cancer is the second leading
cause of death.
Cancer cells come from normal cells because of mutations of DNA. Those mutations can occur
spontaneously. The mutations may be also induced by other factors such as: nuclear and
electromagnetic radiation, viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites, heat, chemicals in the air, water
and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals, evolution and ageing of DNA, etc. All such
factors can produce mutations that may start cancer.

Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism. It is estimated that there are about 10,000
cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person. Why do some result in macroscopic-level
cancers and some do not? First, not all damaged cells can multiply and many of them die
quickly. Second, those which potentially divide and form cancer are effectively destroyed by the
mechanisms available to the immune system. Therefore cancer develops if the immune system
is not working properly or the amount of cells produced is too great for the immune system to
eliminate.
Example of Explanation Text about Process of Making Chocolate

How Chocolate is Made

Have we wondered how we get chocolate from? Well this time we will enter the amazing world of
chocolate so we can understand exactly we are eating.

Chocolate starts a tree called cacao tree. This tree grows in equatorial regions, especially in
place such as South America, Africa, and Indonesia. The cacao tree produces a fruit about the
size of a small pine apple. In side the fruits are the tree’s seeds. They are also known as coco
beans.

Next, the beans are fermented for about a week, dried in the sun. After that they are shipped to
the chocolate maker. The chocolate maker starts processing by roasting the beans to bring out
the flavour. Different beans from different places have different qualities and flavour. So they are
often shorted and blended to produce a distinctive mix.

The next process is winnowing. The roasted beans are winnowed to remove the meat nib of the
cacao bean from its shell. Then the nibs are blended. The blended nibs are grounded to make it
liquid. The liquid is called chocolate liquor. It tastes bitter.

All seeds contain some amount of fat and cacao beans are not different. However, cacao beans
are half fat, which is why they ground nibs from liquid. It is pure bitter chocolate.

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