EXPLANATION TEXT

is kind of text which is more complex than instructions.

It is usually used to explain processes or sequences of
activity. One of the main things that makes it different
from instruction is the focus on CAUSE and EFFECT.
It is one thing to describe what you see when you watch
a scientific process or experiment, but another thing to
make and to speculate about how one thing has led to
another.
There are two types of explanation:

 Why do things happen?

 How do things work?
WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN?
Why did we go to war in 1939?
Why does the moon seem to change shape?
Why do we pay tax?
Why was there an earthquake in Haiti?
Why do we count in the way we do?
Why are there 60 seconds in 1 minute?
HOW DO THINGS WORK?
How does a plane fly?
How does a car engine work?
How does a pigeon find its way home?
How do you fly a hot air balloon?
How is honey made?
How do they print bank notes?
*Social Function

to explain the process involved

in the formation and working
of natural or socio-cultural
phenomena

Explanation Text
 GENERIC STRUCTURES
A general statement to position the reader
It describes or identifies the phenomenon
A sequence of explanations of why or how something occurs
They tell how or why the feature or process changes.
Words should show Cause and Effect or Time
Closing /Concluding Statement (Optional)
It sums up the explanation and talks about its
application; may also give examples
General Lay Out:
INTRODUCTION (general statement about the topic)
EXPLANATION (series of explanatory statements)
Statements are written in sequential order to explain
HOW something works what it is used for
how the parts work together
what each part does
how to use it
WHY something happens how and why it starts
what happens next, why
what happens after that, why
what happens finally, why
CONCLUSION (summary or comment)
A summary or recommendation
A general comment about use or history
Explanations Texts can be found in:

Text-books
guides and manuals
History books
Significant Lexicogrammatical Features
(LANGUAGE FEATURES)*
Focus on non-human participants
Use mainly of material and relational processes
Use mainly of temporal and causal circumstances and conjunctions
Some use passive voice to get it right
Use technical words and noun phrases
Use action verbs and impersonal style
Use the present tense, except for events in history
Use paragraphs to give different reasons in process
Body of
Presentation:
 Recycling Glass Bottles
• Introduction – Glass bottles
Intro • What are they made from? How do we get the materials?
• What happens to old glass bottles?
Collectio • Recycling old glass. Collection and crushing.
n

• What happens to the crushed glass?

Processed • Bottle factory – silica sand – melted – lower temperature
• How are the bottles made?
Manufacture • Hot liquid glass – machinery - bottles
• Conclusion
Conclusion • Advantage of recycling glass – why do we do it?
Recycling Glass Bottles
New glass bottles are made mainly of silica sand.
The sand is melted in a furnace, at a very high
temperature. Recycled glass bottles are made in
a very similar way, but cost less and use up fewer
natural resources

INTRODUCTION (general statement)

What happens to the old glass bottles?
The process begins when people take their used bottles and jars to a bottle bank.
Next, the bottles and jars are taken by lorry to the recycling plant. At the plant,
bottle tops and lids are removed. After that, the glass is crushed into small pieces.
Where does the crushed glass go?
The crushed glass is then sent by lorry to a bottle factory. Here, it is mixed with a
small amount of silica sand. It is then melted in a furnace, at a lower temperature
than new glass.
How are the new recycled bottles made?
Finally, the hot liquid glass is drawn out of the furnace and fed
into machinery that makes it into bottles.

BODY (sequence of explanation)

Recycled glass is as pure and as strong as new
glass. Glass can be recycled many times without
losing its quality.

*sources: http://www.primaryresources.co.uk

CONCLUSION
another sample:

let’s analyze this one ….

 How Kites Fly?

A kite is an object made from a light

material stretched over a frame. When
a kite is tilted into the wind it will lift
off the ground and fly. *material process
*non human participant
*temporal and causal
circumstances

INTRODUCTION
• different paragraph to state reasons in process
A kite uses wind to make it fly because it is heavier than air.

Wind travelling over the surface of the kite is split into two streams of
air. One stream of air goes over the kite while the second stream of air
goes under the kite.
*action verb *passive voice

The upper stream creates an area of low pressure above the kite. The
lower stream hits it at a shallow angle and creates an area of high
pressure.
*noun phrase *impersonal style *technical words

The high pressure area has a pushing effect while the low pressure area
has a pulling effect. The combination of push and pull creates enough
force to lift it into the air. *present tense

BODY
 * conjunction

Kites have been around for thousands of years

and are used for military or scientific purposes
and for leisure.

• parallel
structure
* passive voice

* complex sentence

CONCLUSION
Conclusion of
Presentation:
Explanation text is usually used to explain processes or sequences of activity.
One of the main things that make it different from instruction is the focus on
CAUSE and EFFECT.
It is part of descriptive text, with generic structures: general statement,
sequence of explanation and conclusion.
Its function is to explain the process involved in the formation and working of
natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
This text has several dominant language features, such as: simple present tense,
passive voice, cause-effect conjunctions, etc. as have been revealed previously.
By teaching this text, hopefully leads the students to understand various kinds
of texts presented and written in English as applicable passages which are
found in students’ daily lives.
Introduction is supposed
 Make it interesting
 Question
 Complex sentence
 Make it informative
 Write about something you know
about
Body of Paragraph is supposed
 New paragraph for each point
 Conjunction linking (and, but, or so...)
 Conjunction binding (due to, because, ...)
 Temporal conjunction (after, when, ...)
 Make it logic
 Give explanations that are concise, full,
logical and appropriate
Conclusion is supposed
 Make a summary/recommendation
 Give example/application

then, how to teach it attractively?

Teaching Suggestions:
Joint Construction (pedagogical approaches)

While engaging pupils with a wide range of visual and active learning
resources encourage them to give explanations for their ideas.
Teachers can give model of the construction of a variety flowcharts,
concepts, maps, etc.
Teaching pupils to identify features, according to the models shown.
Discuss the use and the form of paragraphs to the pupils.
Use writing frames to highlight effects and causes
Supply pupils with appropriate vocabulary
I wonder ….. why do
people
yawn?

what
how it
happens?
makes it
happen?
… then convert them in the passage!
*visual and active learning resources
What is this animal called?
What is the connection of it with honey?
How could it produce honey?
Why does it suck nectar from flower?

How do Bees Make Honey?

Topic:

General Statement (name of the thing):

*FLOWCHART
Explanation (what does it look like?):
and form of paragraph

Explanation (how does it work?):

Conclusion:
*identify features, according to the models shown

can you figure it out, what’s the connection among them?

 *CAUSE - EFFECT
Sucking the flower’s nectar, bees
produce honey in return.

Honey is produced by bees after

sucking the flower’s nectar.
 abdomen *Vocabulary Supply
obtain (especially technical terms)

pollen
nectarHIVE
colony STING
honeycomb
 MY PROJECT AT SCHOOL:
perhaps it could inspire you…

TO DO MORE
 e-teaching: Will the internet help the rainforest survive?
Will you be surfing the internet today? If you are going to log on today, please take about one
general
statement minute to click a couple of times to help protect the rainforest. Your clicks will not cost you
anything, but they are going to help save the rainforest that provides many benefits to us human
and to other animals.
sequence of This is how it works. Nowadays, there are many ‘Click to Donate’ sites on the internet. No
explanations doubt, more will be set up because it is a great idea. The way ‘Click to Donate’ sites work is
simple. To explain, we will look at how The Rainforest Site works.
You go to the website by typing in the URL http://www.therainforestsite.com. The homepage
will appear. If you save this as one of your Favorites, you will never need to type the URL again.
Then, you click a button that says ‘Donate Land – Free’. When you click that button, another
screen is going to appear. On that screen you will see boxes with the logos of companies that
contribute money to buy land in the rainforest. If you click on one of the logos, you will go to
the website of that company. However, this is completely voluntary. The money will be donated
whether or not you click on the companies’ logos.
conclusion You can only click once a day. If you click more often, your other clicks will not be counted. The
funds raised from your clicks go to an organization called The Nature Conservancy. This
organization buys land in rainforests and works to protect that land. We use internet a lot and
try to click on The Rainforest Site every day. Will you join us, please?
We can ask our students
to go online by clicking:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Flats/5353/charity
This website lists other ‘Click to Donate’ sites, including those that
collect money for tree planting

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article.asp?aid=16547
This article from the PC magazine PC World says that ‘Click to Donate’ sites can be
a good idea but people should do some investigation before using a website.
They should not just assume that their clicks will go to a good cause.
 Features of Explanation Writing

Does it have a title to tell you what the writing is about?

EXPLANATION Is there a general opening statement?
CHECKLIST:

Is it written in a series of logical steps?

Do the steps continue until the explanation is complete?

Is it written in simple present tense?

Does it use time connectives?
e.g. then, next, after a while, etc.
Does it use causal connectives?
e.g. because, so, this causes, this results in, therefore… etc.
Are there diagrams or illustrations to help with the
explanation? (Optional)
 *BIBLIOGRAPHY

Ferdianti, Dina. Intensive Learning English. Jakarta: PT Setia Purna Inves. 2005

Garnett, Sue. Exploring Writing Workbook. Singapore: Learners Publishing Ltd., 2002
Jacobs, George. Grammar in Use Workbook. Singapore: Seng Lee Press Ltd., 2001

Nimmo, Robert. Reach For the Stars. Singapore: Pearson Education Ltd., 2003

Ruetten, Mary K. Developing Composition Skills 2nd edition.

Singapore: Learners Publishing Ltd., 2004

Smalley, Regina L. Focus on Writing. Singapore: Learners Publishing Ltd., 2002

… the ending of my presentation