Explanation Text

Definition

Explanation text tells how and why things occur in scientific and technical fields

Social function
To explain the process involved in the information or working of natural or socio cultural
phenomena

Generic Structure of Explanation

 A general statement (to position the reader)
 A sequences explanation (of why or how something occurs)
 Closing

Language Features of Explanation

• Focus on generic, non-human participants
• Use mainly :
– General and abstract nouns
– Action verbs
– Simple present tense
– Passive voice
– Conjunction of time and cause
– Noun phrase

Contoh text Explanation

General Statement
Nitrogen makes up 78 percent of air, but it cannot be used by animals or plants while it is a gas.

A sequences explanation
Nitrogen in the air is changed by lightning into nitrogen dioxide. It combines with drops of rain
to fall to the ground as nitric acid. Nitrogen is also converted into usable compounds by nitrogen-
fixing bacteria and plants such as lichen and algae. They change it into chemicals called nitrates.
The nitrates are a form of nitrogen that can be taken up by the roots of plants. The plants are then
eaten by animals in turn. Some nitrogen is passed out in manure. This manure and animal
remains then help feed the soil.

Closing
This is called the nitrogen cycle.
Text 1
General Statement
A spider web looks delicate but it is very strong. It can hold 4000 times a spider’s weight. But
how does it form ?
A sequences explanation
First the spider spin a thread of silk. The thread get blown over to a branch by the wind. Then she
makes another two threads and makes a Y shape. Next she makes more threads and they look
like spokes off wheel. Then spider goes in a spiral, out and back in, sits in the middle and waits
for food
Closing
This is how a web is formed
Answer the following questions based on the text !
1. It can hold 4000 times a spider’s weight. ( par 1) What does the word “ it “ refer to ?
2. A spider web looks delicate …. “ delicate “ has similar meaning to
3. What does the spider firstly do when it makes its web ?
4. What does she do next ?
5. Where does she sit when its web is completely made ?

Text 2
Nitrogen makes up 78 percent of air, but it cannot be used by animals or plants while it is
a gas.
Nitrogen in the air is changed by lightning into nitrogen dioxide. It combines with drops
of rain to fall to the ground as nitric acid. Nitrogen is also converted into usable compounds by
nitrogen-fixing bacteria and plants such as lichen and algae. They change it into chemicals called
nitrates. The nitrates are a form of nitrogen that can be taken up by the roots of plants. The plants
are then eaten by animals in turn. Some nitrogen is passed out in manure. This manure and
animal remains then help feed the soil.
This is called the nitrogen cycle.

1. What is the social function of the song’s lyrics above?

A. To entertain the reader
B. To describe the writer’s feeling
C. To inform the reader’s about the past events
D. To persuade the reader that something is the case
E. To explain the process involved in the information or working

2. What is the text about?

A. Food chains.
B. Animal life cycle.
C. Nitrogen cycle.
D. Kinds of nitrogen.
 E. Nitrogen and oxygen.

3. What percent of air does nitrogen make up?

A. 48.
B. 58.
C. 68.
D. 78.
E. 88.

4. What changes nitrogen into nitrogen dioxide?

A. Lightning.
B. Air.
C. Soil.
D. Bacteria.
E. Plants.

5. What are nitrates?

A. A form of nitrogen in the air.
B. A form of nitrogen in the manure.
C. A form of nitrogen that is changed into nitrogen dioxide.
D. A form of nitrogen that can be taken up by the roots of plants.
E. A form of nitrogen that combines with drops of rain to fall to the ground.