E

EXPLANATION TEXT
 What is an
explanation text?

An explanation text gives you

information about a subject that
you are interested in and would
like to know more about.

It is usually a text that aims to Can you think of

explain a process e.g. How glass any other topics
is recycled you could choose
for an explanation
text?
 DEFINITION AND
PURPOSE
• Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to
forming of natural, social, scientific and cultural
phenomena.
• Explanation text is to say ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the forming of
the phenomena. It is often found in science, geography and
history text books.
 GENERIC STRUCTURE

• General statement : stating the phenomenon issues which

are to be explained.
• Sequenced explanation : stating a series of steps which explain
the phenomena.
• Closing : sump up the explanation and talks about
its applications.
LANGUANGE FEATURES
• Featuring Generic Participants; sun, rain, etc.
• Using chronological connection; to begin with, next, etc
• Using passive voice pattern
• Using simple present tense
• Using abstract noun
• Using action verb
• Using conjunction of time
• Using noun phrases
• Using adverbial phrases
• Using technical terms
 EXAMPLE OF LANGUANGE FEATURES
• Featuring Generic Participants; tsunami
Tsunami • Using passive voice pattern: A tsunami
The term of “tsunami” comes from the will be generated when the sea floor
Japan which means harbor ("tsu") and wave • Using simple present tense: Tsunami
("nami"). A tsunami is a series of waves
always bring great damage
generated when water in a lake or a sea is
rapidly displaced on a massive scale. • Using abstract noun: vertical, horizontal,
A tsunami will be generated when the height
sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically • Using action verb: movement, move
displaces the overlying water. Such large
vertical movements of the earth's crust can • Using conjunction of time: when
occur at the plate boundaries. Subduction of • Using noun phrases: rapidly displaced
earthquakes are particularly effective in
generating tsunami, and occur where denser • Using adverbial phrases: lake or a sea is
oceanic plates slip under continental plates. rapidly displaced on a massive scale
As the displaced water mass moves under the • Using technical terms: wave, gravity,
influence of gravity to regain its equilibrium, equilibrium
it radiates across the ocean like ripples on a
pond.
Tsunami always bring great damage.
Most of the damage is caused by the huge
mass of water behind the initial wave front, as
EXPLANATION TEXT ALSO INCLUDES

Present
Tense

Writing an
Explanation Structure Connectives
Text

Diagram
and
Pictures

An explanation text
usually starts with a
statement that introduces
the subject or topic to the
reader, such as;
'Lots of animals like
hedgehogs, badgers and
mice hibernate during
winter.'
Structure
What Next?
Next there comes a series of steps that explain
how things happen or the reasons why, such as;
'This is because it gets much colder and darker
during the winter months.'
'When it gets colder, food like berries and insects
become harder to find. Therefore, some animals
find a safe place to sleep and store energy until
the plants start to grow again and food is more
plentiful.'
These steps continue until the question has been
answered or the explanation is complete.
 Present Tense

Explanation texts are usually written in the

present tense because they are explaining how or
why something happens. To do this they explain it as
if it is happening now.
 Connectives
• Explanation texts usually use words called connectives that explain things in
order, one after another.
Some of the connectives you might find are:
• Firstly
• Next
• Then
• After that
• Meanwhile
• Eventually
• Later
• Finally
Other connectives explain how things work or why things happen, such as:
• Because
• So
• This means
 Diagram and picture
• Explanation texts often include diagrams, pictures or charts to help you understand
Diagrams and charts always have a title, and pictures will always have a caption
underneath.
For example:

Animals like this badger hibernate during winter.

Make sure that your caption explains exactly what is going on to help the reader to
understand why it is there.
 Writing an explanation text
• Title
Titles that use words like 'how' or 'why', will help readers to understand what the text is
about and make them want to find out more. For example:
'Why' do animals sleep through the winter?'
• Paragraphs
You need to write in paragraphs to break up your text and make sure it follows a
sequence. Use connectives like 'Firstly' and 'So' to put it in the right order.
• Style
Use a question or a statement as your title. Keep this in mind so you stick to the point. Use
the rest of your writing to make points that help to answer your question or support your
statement.
• Interesting facts
Throw in a few interesting facts to make your writing come alive and keep your reader
interested.
• Re-read
Re-read your explanation text when you have finished. Make sure you've answered your
question or supported your statement.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF
EXPLANATION AND PROCEDURE
TEXT

The Similarities :

• Using chronological connection

• Using passive voice pattern
• Using simple present tense
• Have the answer of two question ‘why’ and ‘how’
• Explain about the process
 THE DIFFERENCES

Explanation Text Procedure Text

• The text will be spesifically • More general
explain • Sequential chronology
• Not all of the material can be • Example ‘the way how you go to
used campus’, ‘making a food’, etc.
• Usually explain about
phenomena
 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF
EXPLANATION TEXT AND REPORT TEXT

Similarities
• Explain about the result of
observation, research, and study.
Differences
• Explanation text
More to process about
something that happened or why it
existed and is formed. Ex: ‘how
volcano explode?’

• Report text
explain anout the
circumstances or elements that
participants have. Ex: The volcanoes
has very hot larvae which can
damage the surrounding environment
 SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES OF
EXPLANATION AND DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

The similarities:

Explanation text and descriptive text if we see a glimpse already

seen the difference. Both of them have in common only on the
structure of sentence is use simple present tense
 THE DIFFERENCES
Explanation Text
• Explain about how the
process of something
happened and why it
happened. Ex: Raining,
Tsunami, etc.
• The generic structure of
explanation text are general
statement, sequenced
explanation, and close.
Descriptive Text
• Describe about something
that general like a particular
person, place, or thing. Ex:
my dog, may cat, etc.
• The generic structure of
descriptive text are
identification and description.