WRITING PRACTICAL EXAM

1. NARRATIVE

Purpose Generic Structure (Dominant) Language Features

to amuse/entertain the 1. Orientation 1. Using Past Tense
readers and to tell a story 2. Complication 2. Using action verb
3. Resolution 3. Chronologically arranged
4. Reorientation
➢ When we read a text, we can call it narrative as we see the following generic
structure inside the text:
o Orientation: the introduction of what is inside the text. What text is talk in
general. Who involves in the text. When and where it happen.
o Complication: what happens with the participants. It explores the conflict
among the participants. Complication is the main element of narrative.
Without complication, the text is not narrative. The conflict can be shown
as natural, social, or psychological conflict.
o Resolution: this is the phase where the participants solve the problem
aroused by the conflict. It is not matter whether the participants succeed
or fail. The point is the conflict becomes ended.
➢ The text includes fable, fairy tale, myth, legend, folktales, and horror stories

The Story of Sleeping Beauty

Long time ago, there is a king who held a festive party to celebrate the birth
of his daughter. All fairies in the kingdom were invited. They were asked to give
bless. Unfortunately, there was an old fairy that did not get the invitation; it is
because everybody thought that she was already dead.

In the party, each fairy gave bless. Before the last fairy gave her gift, the
uninvited fairy suddenly appears. She was furious because she was uninvited.
Without saying a word, the angry fairy blessed the princess with a curse. She
cursed the princess that she will die on a spinning wheel when she is
16. The fairy was then gone with a flash of light. The last fairy who did not give
any blesses yet stepped forward. She said that she could not eliminated the
curse but she could help prolong the princess destiny. The fairy said, “when the
spindle pricks the princess finger, she will not die. She will fall into a sleep and
only a kiss from a person who gives her a true love will wake her.”

To prevent the curse, the king ordered to destroyed all wheels and spindles.
Over the years, the princess grew into a beautiful girl. When her 16th birthday
came, she decided to explore the palace. She visited a tower that she never
visited before. Inside the tower, she saw an old woman playing something. The
old woman played with a wheel and spindle. She talked to the woman and asked
if she could try it. The princess tried the spindle and suddenly her middle finger
was punctured leaving a small wound. And, the curse was happening. The
princess fell into a deep sleep so do all people who lived in the palace.

After thousand years, a prince explored the palace that had been covered by
a jungle. He walked through the trees and found a room where a beautiful girl
was sleeping. He could not hold his desire to kiss the princess, and he done it.
Suddenly, the girl woke up and also all people around the palace. Finally, they
were married and lived happily ever after.

❖ Generic Structure Analysis:

1. Orientation : This is the first information readers get what story about is.
Commonly it covers participant, time and place.
✓ Long time ago, there is a king who held a festive party to celebrate the birth of
his daughter.
2. Complication : This is the heart of any narrative genres. Without this
complicates element, the story cannot be identified as
narrative. The complicated situation leads participants face
certain problem.

✓ To prevent the curse, the king ordered to destroy all wheels and spindles.
✓ The princess tried the spindle and suddenly her middle finger was punctured
leaving a small wound.
✓ The princess fell into a deep sleep so do all people.

3. Resolution : The last phase how a story is ended. There are two choices.
Writer can finish his story with good ending, or he can make
the story tragic by giving sad ending.

✓ Finally, they were married and lived happily ever after.

o Notes on Moral Lessons from Story of Sleeping Beauty: All stories for
learning narrative should arouse some moral lesson for its readers and
should be this sleeping beauty story. The are some notes on what moral
value we can get from that story. Some of them are listed below. You can
add another one.
1. True love will win. It can conquer anything in its path.
2. Home is where the heart is. So be nice with all family members.
3. Angry people can do bad thing on us.
2. DISCUSSION
Purpose Generic Structure (Dominant) Language
Features
to present information and 1. Issue 1. Using Simple Present Tense
opinions about issues in 2. Arguments for and 2. Use of relating verb/to be
more one side of an issue against 3. Using thinking verb
(‘For/Pros' and 3. Conclusion 4. Using general and abstract
‘Against/Cons') noun
5. Using conjunction/transition
6. Using modality
7. Using adverb of manner
➢ When we read an example of discussion text, we will see the structure as follow.
a. Stated issue; what issue is going to be discussed. This must drive
problematic discussion from different points of view.
b. Supporting arguments: after stating the issue, it is necessary to present
the argument to support that one point is agreeing.
c. Against arguments: beside the supporting argument, discussion text
needs the arguments which disagree to the stated issue.
d. Recommendation: finally in the end of the discussion, it is important to re-
think to formulate certain recommendation for the discussed issue.
➢ A problematic discourse is the simple key to see whether the text is an
example of discussion or the other genres. Discussion text will see and
elaborate the issue from the different point of view. It presents pro and contra
opinion on certain issue. One side is agreeing the issue, the other is
disagreeing that issue. The different point of views, according to the generic
structure, is the heart of the discussion text. That will differentiate from the
other text types.
➢ What and how is discussion text? Discussion is a text which presents a
problematic discourse. This problem will be discussed from different points of
view. This kind of text is commonly found in philosophical, historic, and social
text.
➢ One of the most obvious examples of a discussion text is reading a text which
includes the phrase of ‘advantage and disadvantage’ It means that the text
is about certain issue which 2 different sides. A discussion text always brings
two different opinions on the certain discursive matter. This different point of
view makes readers have further consideration before having acted on the
matter.
➢ Discussion is a process to find the meet point between two different ideas. It
is important to get the understanding between the two differences. In many
social activities, discussion is the effective way to calm down any friction and
difference in thought, perception, and recommendation.
Example
Students and Part Time Jobs

Working while at the same time going to school is greatly challenging. Both
activities can give you a rewarding experience. However, if you are a student
and want to take a part time job, you'd better think carefully before you decide
to take it.

A lot of things should be considered before making decision to take a part

time job. On the bad side, working while keeping having a good grade at school
is not easy. It is very hard task. Taking a part time job reduces your time for
doing schoolwork. This less time is the main negative effect. Because of that
limited time, many students who work part time tend to fail to keep their best both
on schoolwork and on examinations.

On the good side, taking a part time job can helps students to get good
financial condition for living expenses. Working a part time is a valuable part of
a student's life. If the students take on responsibly, they can deserve a valuable
thing from working. It is not only about money. In most cases, they can learn
discipline and applicable skills. Taking a part time job also help students to
expand their resume for future career.

Studying and working at the same time consume much time and energy.
However, if the students can manage their time and energy wisely, going to
school and taking a part time job are possible to do. So, contact your school
counselor to discuss further.
3. RECOUNT
Purpose Generic Structure (Dominant) Language
Features
➢ to
retell something that 1. Orientation: provides the 1. Using Past Tense
happened in the past and setting and introduces 2. Using action verb
to tell a series of past participants 3. Using adjectives
event 2. Events: tell what happened, in
➢ to retell events for the what sequence
purpose of informing or 3. Re-orientation : optional-
entertaining readers closure of events
➢ Narrative and recount in some ways are similar. Both are telling something in
the past so narrative and recount usually apply PAST TENSE, whether Simple
Past Tense, Simple Past Continuous Tense, or Past Perfect Tense. The ways
narrative and recount told are in chronological order using time or place.
Commonly narrative text is found in story book; myth, fable, folklore, etc while
recount text is found in biography.
➢ The thing that makes narrative and recount different is the structure in which
they are constructed. Narrative uses conflicts among the participants whether
natural conflict, social conflict, or psychological conflict. In some ways
narrative text combines all these conflicts. In the contrary, we do not find these
conflicts inside recount text. Recount applies series of event as the basic
structure.
➢ A recount text can be an amazing experience or horrible one, biography,
holiday events, or historical events.
➢ Personal experience is a story about an event that has done by the writer.
The event is commonly special or very important for the writer that needs to
be shared with others. Subject used in personal experience story is “)”.
➢ A recount text in English is about retelling a series of events. It is really
"retelling". It does not about "expose" or "arguing".

Example :

My Embarrassing Presentation

Presentation was not a big deal for me. I have done it so many times without
flaw. However, last week presentation was a big different. That Wednesday, I
should perform presentation in front of the owner of the company. That was the first
time for me to stand up in front of the highest person in my company. I got a little
nervous, but I can keep myself calm because had prepared everything.

The opening was run without problem. I had the confident and I was sure the
materials are checked. Unfortunately, I made mistake when I was played the video.
I supposed to play video about our research in the next construction site but the
video I played was my kitty playing a yarn ball. People were suddenly laughing that
time.

I was so embarrassed. I apologized, and quickly changed the video. The

laughing lasted long until my boss stopped it. I was so blessed that my boss is very
kind person. He smiled and asked me to continue my presentation. Apparently, my
boss loves cat so the video did not bother him much. Thankfully, the rest of the
presentation run well without problem.
4. DESCRIPTIVE

Purpose Generic Structure (Dominant) Language

Features
to describe a 1. Identification: It identifies a 1. Using Simple Present Tense
particular person, certain object to be described. 2. Using action verb
place or thing in 2. Descriptions: It describes 3. Using adverb
detail. the object in parts size, 4. Using special technical terms
characteristics, or qualities. 5. Using attributive and
identifying process.
6. Using adjective and
classifiers in nominal
group.
➢ Descriptive text is a text which describes a person, thing, place and certain
condition in particular. According to www.sil.org, the example of descriptive
text can be the appearance of a person, detail of location or requirement for
employment. Commonly a descriptive text uses the first- and third-person
pronoun as point of view.
➢ Descriptive text portrays the image which the writers catch and is transferred
to the readers. Descriptive give detail explanation on how the specific thing,
person, or place looks like.
➢ The way descriptive text composed is similar to report text. Both try more to
show less than tell. However descriptive text tends to specify the described
object while report text will describe the object in general. The goal of the
descriptive text is transferring the experience of the writers. The experience
can be what they see, read, or feel. Descriptive text commonly tries to reveal
the image of certain person, place, animal, or thing.
➢ Commonly a descriptive text will describe a particular thing, place, or
someone. A descriptive text is structured with general identification and
followed by detail description. In Identification paragraph, descriptive text will
explore to answer the question of who, what when and where. The detail
description will include a description to answer how it looks, where it is sees,
what it does, and what it makes it special.

The Beautiful Kuta Bali

Kuta is the exciting tourist area on the southern part of Bali. Most tourists visiting Bali
do not forget to spend their time in Kuta.
It is located in southwestern Bali, just minutes from the airport.

Kuta is one of the world's most famous beaches. It first attracted Western surfers with
its world-renowned surf break followed closely behind by sun worshipers and party
goers attracted to its wide stretches of white sandy beach.
Kuta is the center of night life activities. Kuta has a shopping mecca, with its lines of
shops, boutiques, and galleries. Restaurants line up the streets as well as the
beachfront hotels, ranging from a small, inexpensive homestay to a luxurious resort
There are many night clubs along Jalan Legian and Jalan Pantai Kuta. The busiest time
for all night clubs are around from 22:00 and will close until down.

Source: http://www.hotels68.com/article_34_kuta-bali-nightlife.html

Generic Structure Analysis

Identification : Showing what specific participant which will be described in the text.
In sample It is about the Kuta Bali beach. Kuta beach and not the other beaches.

Description : Showing the image of the participant. In this sample, Kuta bali beach is
described as a location in Southern Bali which is just minute from the airport. It also
described as the place of beautiful place for surfers. Kuta Bali beach is also described
as the center of night life activities.