EXPLANATION TEXT

Topic 6
Explanation Text

Group 13

Amaliya Nindya A. P

Nanda Alisha

Explanation text is a containing text about processes of nature phenomenons, social, science, culture and another. An explanation text usually come from related author question ‘why’ and ‘how’ towards an existing phenomenon.

Generic Structure

1. A general statement

A general statement discuss about a phenomenon in general. This sentence usually answer a question, that is “what”.

                For example: “What is flood?”

2. A squenced of explanation

A squenced of explanation tell us “why” and “how” a phenomenon happened. A squenced of explanation can be more of one paragraph.

Tense that used

 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.

Explanation texts often include diagrams, pictures or charts to help you understand. An explanation text usually starts with a statement that introduces the subject or topic to the reader.

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

  Example of explanation text

 TSUNAMI

The term of “tsunami” comes from the Japanese which means harbour (“tsu”) and wave (“nami”). A tsunami is a series of waves generated when water in a lake or a sea is rapidly displace on a massive scale.

A tsunami can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Such large vertical movements of the earth’s crust can occur at plate boundaries.

Subduction of earthquakes are particularly effective in generating tsunami, and occur where denser oceanic plates slip under continental plates.

As the displaced water mass moves ander the influence of gravity to regin its equilibrium, it radiates across the ocean like ripples on a pond.

Finally, tsunami always bring great demage. Most of demage is caused by the huge mass of water  behind the initial wave front, as the height of the sea keeps rising fast and floods powerfully into the coastal area.

If you want to write an explanation text, look at this :

•       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.