When do I use it?

To tell or explain how things

Explanation is a text which tells
work or why something processes relating to forming of natural,
happens. 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.
 Other Perception ….
• 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.
 Purpose of Explanation Text

– Explanation is a text which tells processes

relating to forming of natural, social,
scientific, and cultural phenomena.
– To explain how or why something
happens. According to Mark Anderson and
Kathy Anderson (1997: 82) says that the
explanation text type is often used to tell
how and why thing (phenomena) occur in
nature.
 What features might I
find inside?

t i f i c w o r d s
i cal o r s cien
• Techn
ct i o n v er bs n e c t i v es
• A r d s o r c o n
n g w o
• Sequenci n t o r pa s s i v e f o r m s
r e s e
• Simple p
Text Organizer Introduction
Write what is goin
g to be
explained.

Concluding
Statement
t to
You may wan
sting
include intere o n S e q u e n ce
comments ab
o ut Explanati
what you hav
e
d c o n n e c tives to
tim e w o rds an . Y ou can
explained. Us e
p lain a p r o c e s s
descri b e o r e x
w c h a r ts , which
r a m s o r flo
e d ia g
includ
t o c o m m en t o n .
eed
you will n
What should I write?
Introduction
Write what is goin
g to b e
explained. It may
i n c lu d e a
d e s c r ip t i o n , q u e s t i
o n o r a b r ie f
d e s c r ip t i o n .
What should I u e nce
on Se q
write? Explanati
hi ng w o r ks:
et
Expla in how som
i t i s u s e d for
• What
h p a r t d o e s
• What eac t her
r k t o g e
w t h e p a r t wo
• Ho
e it
• How to us h a p p e ns:
s om ethi ng
w h y
Explain
d w h y i t s t art
• How an r t ha t , f i n ally.
e n s n e x t , af t e
p
• What hap
What should I write?

g S t a t e m e n t
C o n c lu d in
d e in t e r e s ti n g
a n t t o i n c lu
You may w m a r y, o r a
m e n ts , a s u m h a v e
c om a b o u t w h a t y o u
o m m e n d a t io n
re c
e x p l a i n e d .
 Differences:
Explanation text Procedure text

- De
scribe
someth how to
e s c r i be how ing wh make
oD m e non close t i ch i s
h e no
c e rt a i n p pe ns - fo o our d
aily ac
n t h a p r med i tivity
or eve instruc n t he mode
de tion of
n t h e m o
o Formed i
f de s c r i p tion
o
 o r b r i ef
ef i n i t i o n
wi t h a d
o ur t op i c
u c e y
- I n tr o d
s c r i p t i o n r d er
de o i n t s i n o
p o rt a n t p
i n i m
- Expla
o m m e n t
m u p o rc
- Su a c h p o i nt
a p h f o r e n .
ar a g r p er s o
- New p c o nd o r t h i r d
s o n a l , s e
m p e r
- St y l e i
Language Features of Explanation Text In an
explanation text, there are linguistic features as
below :
• Featuring generic participant; sun, rain, etc.

• Using chronological connection; to begin with,

next, etc.

• Using passive voice pattern

• Using simple present tense

 Ch a n g e
d p o l es
Why Ta
Frogs are amphibians. Amphibians spend part of their lives under water.
Young frogs start their life in water as tadpoles.

First, the female frog lays lots of eggs so some will survive from being
eaten by fish and other animals. The eggs are smakk and often laid inside white
foam.
Next, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles have gills so they can breath
under water and a strong tail to help them swim.
As the tadpoles grow bigger, they start to change because they need to
become a frog. Their tail becomes smaller and they begin growing legs. The back
legs grow firs followed by the front legs.
Tadpoles also start to develop lungs because they have to be ready to
breathe on land when they become a frog.

Tadpoles may be found in billabongs, lakes, swamps or even in puddles

after heavy rain.

Scientific words Action verbs Sequencing words and cause and effect
Wax Cap

Inside the Honey Stomach

Nectar

Water

Nectar
in cell
1. From where do the bees drink nectar?
The bees drink nectar from the
flower

2. How do they drink it?

The bees drink nectar by using its

long tongue

Long Tongue
 3. Inside the honey stomach, what does the
enzyme change nectar into?
glucose

The enzyme change nectar into

fructose
fructose and glucose

2. After the bee return to their hive, what do they

spit from their honey stomach?

They spit nectar from their honey

stomach
Spit nectar
5. What happen to the nectar after the heat
evaporate the water?
Water

It changes into honey

Nectar
in cell

6. How do the bees cover the cell?

Wax Cap

They cover the cell with a wax cap

 e t h em i n t o
s a n d a rr a ng
e a l l a n s w er n n e ct o r s !
Rewrit y p ut t i n g s o m e co
ra p h b
a parag

First, bees drink nectar from flowers using their long tongue.
Their tongue helps them to reach the nectar inside the flower.
Then, bees store the nectar in a special sac called a honey
stomach. Inside the stomach, special enzyme changes nectar into two
sugars called fructose and glucose.
After the bees return to their hive, they spit the nectar from its
honey stomach into one of the cells.
Next, the heat in the hive evaporate water from the nectar and
it turns into honey.
Finally, the bees cover the cell with a wax cap.
 d in g p a r a g r a p h to compose
g en e r a l s ta tem e n t and conclu
Write
explanation text!
Bees are the only insects which produce food for humans. The food the
honey bee produces is unique, good tasting, beneficial and nutricious. So, how
does a bee make honey?

First, bees drink nectar from flowers using their long tongue. Their tongue
helps them to reach the nectar inside the flower.
Then, bees store the nectar in a special sac called a honey stomach. Inside
the stomach, special enzyme changes nectar into two sugars called fructose and
glucose.
After the bees return to their hive, they spit the nectar from its honey
stomach into one of the cells.
Next, the heat in the hive evaporate water from the nectar and it turns into
honey.
Finally, the bees cover the cell with a wax cap.

Thousands of worker bees can produce over 200 pounds of honey for the
colony in a year. Imagine if there are no bees on this earth!
Production Stage
s ed o n t h i s d i a g ra m
x p l a n a t i o n t ext b a
Compo s e e
o u r o w n w o r d s !
b y u si n g y
Bellow are some examples of explanation text which are
grouped into several topics
This list of links relating to explanation text hopefully helps
students to get more understanding about text genres,
especially an explanation text.
Explanation texts about food
How a chocolate is made
Explanation texts about toy play
How a kite flies
Explanation texts about natural phenomena:
How a tsunami happens
How a Venus eclipse happens
How an earthquake happens
How rain happens How seasons happen
How day and night happens
Why daylight in summer is longer than in winter
• Explanation texts about technology
How a cell phone works
How a fuel light works

• Explanation texts about monumental

things
How roman roads were built
Why Eiffel tower was built
 k yo u
Th an