REPORT TEXT

Social Function: to present the reader information about something, generally describe an entire
class of things, whether natural or made such as animals, plants, planets, transportation,
technology and so on. Briefly, report text describes something in general.

Generic Structure/ Structure Text:

1. General classification → it is usually in the first paragraph of the text. This part usually
introduces the topic of the report or tells what phenomenon under discussion is. It can be a
short description of the subject or it can be definitions from the subject that is described.
2. Description → In this part, we usually will describe the details of the topic or subject such as
physical appearance, parts, qualities, habits or behaviour. Every paragraph in the part of
description usually gives us information about one feature of the subject.

Language Features:
1. Introduces group or general aspect and focus on general nouns such as cats, mangrove trees,
climates, etc.
2. The use of simple present tense.
3. The language used in a report text is a scientific language, for example: water contains oxygen
and hydrogen, etc.
4. A report text uses Conditionals and logical connectives, such as: but, in other hand, etc.

Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense indicates that an action is present. Generally, it is used for
factual or habitual actions.

PATTERN:
1. Nominal Sentence (kalimat yang tidak memerlukan kata kerja, biasanya kalimat ini diikuti
dengan noun atau kata benda).
Pattern Example
(+) Subject + to be (am/is/are) + Noun Black panthers are good swimmer.
(-) Subject + to be (am/is/are) + not + Noun Black panthers are not good swimmer.
(?) To be (am/is/are) + Subject + Noun ? Are black panthers good swimmer?

2. Verbal Sentence (kalimat yang memerlukan kata kerja)

Pattern
(+) Subject + Verb +s/es + O/Adv
(-) Subject + do/does + not + Verb1 +
O/Adv
(?) Do/does + Subject + Verb1 + O/Adv
Note
She/He/It/Singular noun use Verb +
s/es and does.
I/You/They/We/Plural use Verb 1
(without s/es) and do.

Example:
(+) Elephants usually live in group.
S V
(-) Elephants usually do not live in group.
S V
(?) Do elephants live in group?
S V
Differences between Report Text and Descriptive Text
Report Text Descriptive Text
 Describing general classes of  Describing a specific living or non-living
phenomena. thing or natural phenomenon.
 The structure is general classification  The structure is identification followed by
followed by description. description.
 The thing described in the text is a  The thing mentioned in the text is clear
representative of the whole group and detail about its name/characteristic.
 For example : Cats  For example : my cat named Garfield

THE EXAMPLE OF REPORT TEXT WITH ANALYSIS

Bats Title

Bats are the only mammals that can fly. They are nocturnal mammals. This means they sleep
in caves and attics during the day and fly out to feed at night-time.
Flying foxes or fruit bats are large bats that live in tropical Africa and Asia. They mainly eat
fruit. Flying foxes are important because they help to spread the pollen and seeds of many plants.
Bats have big ears, furry bodies and wings like leather. They are fast and acrobatic. When
they chase after insects, they twist and turn in mid-air. Bats use sound to catch insects in the
darkness. They send out high-pitched squeals that humans cannot hear. The echoes that bounce
back tell them exactly where they will find their prey.

Main Idea (General Classification)

Species 1) Bats are the only mammals that can fly
2) They are nocturnal mammals
3) Flying foxes or fruit bats are large bats that live in tropical
Africa and Asia
Detailed Facts (Description)
Habitat 1) This means they sleep in caves and attics…
2) … that live in tropical Africa and Asia
Habits 1) This means they sleep in caves and attics during the day
2) And fly out to feed at night-time
3) They mainly eat fruit
4) When they chase after insects
5) they twist and turn in mid-air
6) Bats use sound to catch insects in the darkness
7) They send out high-pitched squeals that humans cannot
hear. The echoes that bounce back tell them exactly where
they will find their prey
Physical characteristics 1) Bats have big ears, furry bodies and wings like leather
2) They are fast and acrobatic
Function Flying foxes are important because they help to spread the
pollen and seeds of many plants