EXPLANATION
An
explanation is a piece of writing that gives straightforward information. It
explains the processes related to the formation of natural, social, scientific,
and cultural phenomena. Ex: how volcano eruption occurs, or how to prevent bone
fracture at an old age.
- Communicative
Purposes
To enable
the readers to understand the processes involved in the formation or the
working of a phenomenon.
- Examples
of explanation texts
Reports on
natural phenomena, articles on scientific inventiions, documentary films.
- The
organization of an explanation text
An
explanation text can have as many paragraphs as the writer wants. However, it
mainly consists of two parts: general statement and explanation.
a. General
statement
This part
presents the subject that is going to be explained.
b. Explanation
The
supporting paragraphs are known as explanation. The explanation statements are
in chronological order to illustrate how the subject came into existence or how
it works.
- The
grammatical features related to explanation texts
o Simpe
Present Tense (current facts)
o Passive
voice
o Action
verbs
o Punctuation
o Conjunction
of time and cause effect
o Adverbial
Phrases
o Noun
Phrases
o Technical
Terms
o General
and Abstract Nouns
- This
is the following example of the explanation text:
How Bread is
Made
Almost
everyone eats bread daily, especially for breakfast. Bread making is noat a
complicated task. You only need flour, water, yeast, sugar, salt, oil, butter,
and an oven.
Choosing
good flour is the first step in making bread. There are two kinds of flour,
soft and hard. Hard flour, made of winter wheat, is a better choice for making
bread because it produces bread that has a better texture and taste.
Then,
lukewarm water, yeast, sugar, and salt are mixed with the flour to make dough.
Yeast is a microscopic organism that is capable of producing carbon dioxide. It
can make the dough rise or expand. Both sugar and salt give flavor to the bread
so that it tastes nice. They, however, have different effects on yeast. After
that, oil (such as olive oil, corn oil, peanut oil) and butter are added
because they are essential to make the bread tender. After mixing all the
ingredients, the dough is sent to the oven.
NARRATIVE
A narrative
is a piece of writing that tells a story. The story can be imaginary or based
on a real incident.
- Communication
purpose
To entertain
the readers
-
Examples of narrative texts
Short
stories, folk tales, legends, fables and myths.
- The
organization of a narrative text:
A narrative
text can have as many paragraphs as you want. However, it mainly consists of
three parts:
o Orientation
: presents the setting of your story and introduces the characters involved.
o Complications:
The story continues here. Usually, there will be an event or a sequence of
events that lead the characters into a complication (some form of conflict that
disrupts the normal event). Tension starts to build up to a climax, and this
draws anticipation in the readers.
o Resolution:
the problem starts to get resolved. Sometimes the story ends happily or vice
versa, and at other times the resolution (i.e. the ending of the story) is left
for the readers to decide.
-
Grammatical features related to the narrative texts:
o Action
Verb
o Adjective
o Connectors
to do with time and sequence
o Pronouns
o Punctuation
o Simple
Past Tense
o Adverbs
o Compound
and Complex Sentences
- This
is the following example of the narrative text:
Elly
A
long time ago, there was a beautiful little princess named Elly who liked to
climb trees. “Behave like a lady, and stop climbing trees,” said her parents.
Yet, she did not listen and went on climbing all sorts of trees.
Years
went by, and she had grown up. By now she was an expert in tree climbing. Her
parents grieved. “Who will marry a rough woman?” said her mother sadly.
“We
will make use of the situation,” her father replied. “I will offer half of my
kingdom and the princess hand in marriage to any man who can beat her at tree
climbing”.
After
the king’s offer was announced, the palace was soon swamped with souitors who
could climb trees. Most of them were terrible; only a few were good. The
princess then said, “Never mind, father. Now, let me set a test, and perhaps a
good suitor can be found.” Then, she turned to the suitors and asked, “Do youa
agree that you were beaten fairly?”
“No,”
they all roared. “We think it was magic or some sort of trick.”
But
one said, “Yes. I was beaten fairly.”
The
princess was touched by the man’s honesty. She smiled and turned to her father.
She pointed to the man and said, “If he likes me, I will marry him.” It turned
out the suitor also liked the princess. Then, they decided to get married and
lived happily ever after.
DISCUSSION
A discussion
is a piece of writing that explores both sides of an issue. In discussion text
the writer tries to present the pros and cons or the advantages and
disadvantages of an issue to allow the readers to reach a logical conclusion.
The writer
should always try to give an impersonal and balanced view.
-
- Communicative Purposes
To present
arguments/opinions/information from different points of view.
-
- Examples of discussion texts
Newspaper
editorials, deabtes, thesis, journalist
-
- The organization of a discussion text
A discussion
text consists of four main parts: issue, arguments for, arguments againts, and
conclusion/recommendation.
o Issue
This part
introduces the topic and previews the arguments that the rest of paragraphs
expand upon
o Arguments
for
Is positive
arguments or in agreement with issue. Each stage of the argument consists of a
point and elaboration. A point is made and then elaborated. In other words, the
writer discusses each point, then gives a detailed information or evidence to
support it.
o Arguments
against
Is negative
arguments or in disagreement with the issue. Each stage of the argument also
consists of a point and elaboration. A point is made and the elaborated. In
other words, the writer discusses each point, then gives a detailed information
or evidence to support it.
o Conclusion/recommendation
The closing
is a brief summing-up of the issue explored or the writer’s own opinion.
-
- The grammatical features related to
discussion texts
o Relating
verbs
o Thinking
verbs
o General
nouns
o Abstract
nouns
o Conjunction
o Modality
o Adeverbial
manner
-
- This is the following example of the
discussion text:
Pandemic
There are
differences of opinion on the avian flu. Some say this could claim 150 million
deaths, but others believe the current alarm on avian flu to be unwaraanted as
there is no proof it can spread between humans.
According to
the chief coordinator of the United Nations, 150 million people could die form
the disease if a pandemic strikes. One of the most frightnening aspects of a
human flu pandemic arising from avian influenza would be its unpredictability.
It’s difficult to estimate the death toll should the H5N1 virus mutate into a
form that could be easily transmitted between humans. It is not possible to
predict whether a pandemic would occur once, or if it would repeat. However,
epidemiologists recommend that governments take every possible precaution
against the threat of bird flu seriously.
Contrary to
all the dire predictions about an avian flu pandemic, some ecologists dismiss
the current panic as unsubstantiated gues work. One ecologist contends that
H5N1 virus still remains a bird virus and no scientific evidence yet exist of
human-to-human transmission. There are billions of people across Asia, and only
118 of them have been infected by avian flu. So, how do they know that 150
million or more people could die because of avian flu? The global panic,
according to the ecologist, is the result of “scare tactics” created by
politicians, medical officers and the media.
It’s
premature to predict the outcome of avian flu until health scientists confirm
the possibility of human-to-human transmission. The advice is to keep cool and
not panic because if you do, you will weaken your resistance and reduce your
immune system.
ACTIVE AND
PASSIVE VOICES
Verbs are
normally classified as either Active or Passive Vocie. Active and passive voice
each has its own advantages. Active voice is a direct voice. This is the voice
we normally use in our daily life. However, active voice has some verbs that
cannot be transformed into passive voice. For example, we can say “She has a
dress” but we cannot say “A new dress is had by her”. Again we say “Mike lacked
courtesy but not “Courtesy was lacked”.
On the other
hand, we find excessive use of passive voice creates a sense of protection and
avoiding responsibility. For example, “The alcohol ads on the billboard were
designed to inspire children to take up drinking”. The burden rests on the
“ads”, whereas the word “we” in “We designed the alcohol ads on the billboard
to inspire children to take up drinking” is the responsible party.
Be careful
not to mix active and passive voices in the same sentece. “The board of
directors approved the budget, and the expenditure for next year’s meeting was
revised” should be written “The board of directors approved the budget and
revised the expenditure for next year’s meeting”.
example:
Active voice
–> Someone locked the front door from the inside.
Passive
voice –> The front door was locked from the inside (by someone).
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