EXPLANATION TEXT

WHAT IS AN EXPLANATION ?

An explanation tells how or why something occurs.

Explanations can be spoken or written and their
purpose is to tell each step of the process (the how)
and to give reasons (the why) for it.
Examples of explanations texts include:
 how something occurs
 why something happened
 why things are alike or different
 how to solve a problem
 EXPLANATION TEXT

Features of AN EXPLANATION

Constructing an explanation
A written explanation usually involves three steps. First, there is
the general statement about the event or thing. Next follows a
series of paragraphs that tell the hows and whys. The final step
is a concluding paragraph.

Grammatical features of an explanation

Explanations usually include the following grammatical features:
• technical language
• words that show cause and effect
• use of timeless present tense