Explanation Text

Definition and purposes of Explanation

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' about the forming of the
phenomena. It is often found in science, geography and history text books.

Generic structure of Explanation

General statement; stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.
Sequenced explanation; stating a series of steps which explain the phenomena.

Language Feature of Explanation

Featuring generic participant; sun, rain, etc
Using chronological connection; to begin with, next, etc
Using passive voice pattern
Using simple present tense

Related Post in Text Types Samples:

Between explanation and procedure

Seeing the social function, both procedure and explanation texts have the similarity in which both
describe how to make or done something. They give the detail description on something, phenomena,
goods, product case or problem.
To see the differences between explanation and procedure, we have to analyze the dominant language
feature and how the texts are used.
Procedure, this text type is commonly called as instruction text. It uses pattern of commend in building
the structure. It use the “to infinitive verb” which is omitted the “to”. It is a kind of instruction text which
uses full commend verb. Procedure is commonly used to describe how to make something which is close
to our daily activity. For example how to make a cup of tea, how to make a good kite, etc is the best
example of the procedure text. It is such word; first boil water, secondly prepare the cup, and so on.
Explanation, it is commonly used the passive voice in building the text. Explanation is such a scientific
written material. It describes how certain phenomenon or event happen. How a tornado form, how
tsunami works are the best example of explanation text. It uses passive pattern in describing the topic.
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
displaced 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 under the influence of gravity to regain its 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 the height of the sea keeps rising fast and floods

How Venus eclipse happens is best given to an example of explanation texts. Explanation text is
compose to describe how something forms and why something exists and happens.
What is an explanation text and how is the explanation text composed? Explanation text is structured by
the generic level of general statement and followed with sequenced explanation. To have clear
understanding on the explanation text, let's see the following example of explanation text!

How Venus Eclipse Happens

On May 16, 2010, people in most regions in the world have seen a very rare natural phenomenon. It was
Venus eclipse. It was very rare amazing natural event. It was reported that the Venus eclipse will seen
again in the future in 2050. Do you know how this rare Venus eclipse happens?
Well, actually Venus eclipse is like Sun eclipse. Venus eclipses occurs when the position of the earth,
moon and Venus is parallel. Venus planet will slowly disappear for a moment because it is covered the
surface of the Moon. Venus planet seems to move to the back side of the Moon.
The moon and planets are sharing a similar apparent path in the sky. That is why, it is not unusual for
the moon to appear to pass close to Venus. In fact, the moon appears somewhere near it about once a
month. However, most people don’t see these events because they are visible in the evening sky only half
the time, and then only for a short period after sunset. The apparent closeness varies from month to
month as well.
Note: This example of explanation text about how Venus eclipse happens is

How cell phone work

A cell phone is a great gadget in this modern world. What is a cell phone? A cell phone is actually a radio
in certain way. Like a radio, by a cell phone we can communicate to other people in real time. Million
people use cell phone for their communication. Even nowadays, people use cell phones to communicate
in voice, written and data. Alexander Graham Bell is the person who make great change in the way
people communicate to each other. He invented a telephone in 1876. While wireless radio was formally
known in 18994 presented by Guglielmo Marconi. By these two technologies, then a cell phone was
born. However do you know how actually cell phones work?
This short explanation on how a cell phone work is really wonderful. A cell phone or in long term
"cellular telephone' works by transmitting signals of radio to towers of cellular. The towers are
networked to a central switching station. The connection usually uses wire, fiber optic-cables, or
microwave.
Then the central switching station which handles calls in certain given area is directed connected to the
wire-based telephone system. Cellulars are pick up by the towers and relayed to another cellular
telephone user or the user of wire-based telephone network.
the towers vary in the capacity and capability to receive signals. Some can receive the signal from short
distance and the others can receive more distance. However, there are usually more than one tower in
certain given area so that the system can handle the increasing telephone traffic.

How do seasons happen?

Seasons come to us regularly. We have probably noticed that it gets warmer in summer or dry season
while it get colder in the winter or wet season. However do we know how these seasons change?

Seasons happen and change every year. This happens because the earth tilts back and forth as it goes
around the sun. During the summer, the earth tilts toward the sun. It makes half of the earth hotter. this
condition is what we call summer. During the other half of the year, the earth tilts away from the sun. As
a result, it makes that half of the earth cooler. This cool condition is then what we call winter.

The different parts of the world have the same season at different times. In the northern half of the
world , winter happens during the months of December, January and February. The regions are such
North America and Europe. In the other hand, the southern half of the world have winter during the
months of June, July and August.The regions are like South America and Australia. How does this
difference happen? The same season happens at different times because the top and bottom halves of
the earth tilt away from the sun at different times.

HOW FUEL WARNINGLIGHT WORK

Many cars, motorcycles and other modern vehicles have fuel warning light devices. the warning light is
usually red which switches on automatically when the level of fuel in the tank is very low. The warning
light gives the driver information about the amount of petrol in the tank. When the light switches on
red, it tells the driver that the petrol in the tank is almost empty. Therefore he have to put more fuel
into the tank. However do you know how the fuel warning works?
Well this is the way the fuel warning light work and gives the driver information about the accurate
amount of the petrol in the tank. When the level of the fuel falls, the float inside the tank moves
downwards. When this condition happens, the arm also moves downwards and it make the lever touch
an electrical contact. This switches on the fuel light in the car dashboard.
The red light which appears in the fuel panel of the dashboard tells the driver that he needs more petrol
for his car. When he pours more petrol into the tank, this condition makes the fuel level rise and it
pushes the float upwards. In return it disconnects to the electrical contact and makes the red light
switch off.

Why is Bali Famous for Tourism Object?

One of the famous tourism spots in Indonesia is Bali island. Bali lays at the part east of Java. Thousand
domestic and foreign tourists visit Bali each month. Do you know why Bali island is so famous?
A lot of tourists like fresh natural environment. If that what they want, Bali is the best choice to visit. Bali
has beautiful landscape dominated with green luxurious terrace fields. Moreover Bali give fantastic
view; beautiful sunrise in Sanur and fascinating sunset in Kuta beach.
Beside the beautiful beach and panorama, domestic and foreign tourists also enjoy the balinese local
genius arts such as; dances, puras, and temples. Most of these objects are amazing.
Like many other tourism objects, Bali also provide souvenir center which they can take home. Most
balinese people are artists. They spend their time to apply skill and imagination through painting,
carving dancing.
What make them more exposed is that most of them are English speaking people. That is why Bali is
well-known all over the wold.

How Earthquakes Happen

Earthquake is one of the most destroying natural disasters. Unluckily it often happens in several regions.
Recently a horrible earthquake has shaken West Sumatra. It has brought great damages. Why did it
occur? Do you know how an earthquake happens?

Earthquakes are usually caused when rock underground suddenly breaks along a fault. This sudden
release of energy causes the seismic waves. It make the ground shake. When two blocks of rock or two
plates are rubbing against each other, they stick a little. They don't just slide smoothly. The rocks are still
pushing against each other, but not moving. After a while, the rocks break because of all the pressure
that's built up. When the rocks break, the earthquake occurs.

During the earthquake and afterward, the plates or blocks of rock start moving, and they continue to
move until they get stuck again. The spot underground where the rock breaks is called the focus of the
earthquake. The place right above the focus is called the epicenter of the earthquake.

Flying Kite

How a kite flies is best at giving example of Explanation text. This kind of text is composed to
intendedly make clear explanation on how something is processed and why the thing is formed.
Explanation text is one of the text types which is similar to Procedure. What makes superficially
different is the way how they are structured.
In one side, Explanation text is structure in the mode of description. It focuses on the thing which
is explained. In the other side, Procedure text is constructed in the mode of instruction and
commend. That is why Procedure is sometimes called instruction text. It focuses on the second
person to explain how to form the thing.
In my previous example of explanation text on Roman Roads was given to show how the
explanation text gives clear note on "Why something is formed" To get clearer understanding of
explanation text, now let's see another example of "How something is precessed/formed" which
belongs to explanation text's social function. The example bellow is re-composed from Jenny
Eather's writing with fun. It really helps to make better understanding on explanation text.

How is a Kite Flying?

A kite is an object which is made from a light material stretched over a frame. Due to its light
material a kite will lift off the ground and fly when it is tilted into the wind.
A kite is uses wind to make it fly because it is heavier than air. When wind travels over the
surface of the kite, it is split into two streams of air. One stream of the air goes over the kite
while the second stream goes under the kite.
The upper stream creates an area of low pressure above the kite. The lower stream hits the kite at
a shallow angle and creates an area of high pressure.
The high pressure area has a pushing effect while the low pressure area has a pulling effect. The
combination of push and pull can creates enough force to lift the kite into the air.
Kites have been known for thousand of years. They are used for military or scientific purposes.
Todays kites are much used for leisure and competition.

From the above example of Explanation text, we can see that the text has the following generic
structure:
General Statement; the introduction of the topic on with a brief definition on kites.
Sequenced Explanation; this is the main element of explanation text. It explain the important
points of the kite. The explanation of how kites fly is given in order.

CANCER

What is cancer? It is actually a group of more than one hundred separate diseases. Most of us are
fear from cancer It is reasonable because next to heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause
of death.
Cancer cells come from normal cells because of mutations of DNA. Those mutations can occur
spontaneously. The mutations may be also induced by other factors such as: nuclear and
electromagnetic radiation, viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites, heat, chemicals in the air, water
and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals, evolution and ageing of DNA, etc. All such
factors can produce mutations that may start cancer.
Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism. It is estimated that there are about 10,000
cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person. Why do some result in macroscopic-level
cancers and some do not? First, not all damaged cells can multiply and many of them die
quickly. Second, those which potentially divide and form cancer are effectively destroyed by the
mechanisms available to the immune system. Therefore cancer develops if the immune system is
not working properly or the amount of cells produced is too great for the immune system to
eliminate.
(Simplified from:www.digital-recording

Why Eiffel Tower was Built

If we talk about the Wonders of the World buildings, then we will see Eiffel Tower as one of
them. However many of us do not know the tower’s past history on why it was build. Everything
has the reasonable background, especially for the tower which is to be one of the most
recognized buildings in the world.

Primarily, the Eiffel Tower was built for the World Exhibition. It was called Paris Exposition in
1889. The exhibition was organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.
The purpose of building Eiffel Tower in such structure was to show to the world France’s
advancement of technology and beauty. The Eiffel Tower was designed by Gustave Eiffel. It
seemed that then the name of the tower was derived from the designer’s last name, “Eiffel”

Another reason on why the tower was built was for scientific progress. Although few realized it,
the Eiffel Tower would become the prominent structure in terms of science and technology.
Many experiment with temperature, pressure and pendulums were performed atop the unique
famous building. Additionally the Eiffel Tower was used for radio transmission tower. Many
experiments were conducted atop the Eiffel Tower for radio transmission advancement. Once the
Eiffel Tower was proposed to be demolished but it was spared because the tower had the
promising future as a radio tower.

How Roman Roads were Built

The system of roads for mobility has been begun early decades. It was started since the Roman
Empire conquered the world. The roads in Roman era were known as the best construction.

The Romans built roads are for the purpose of mobility, especially for the army. Having the best
road, the army could march from one place to another. They built the roads as straight as
possible, so that the army could take the shortest route.

It is interesting to know how the roads were built, which some of them are still in use today.
First, the Romans builders would clear the ground of rocks and trees. Then they dug a trench
where the road was to go and filled it with big stones. Next, they put in big stones, pebbles,
cement and sand which they packed down to make a firm base. After that, they added another
layer of cement mixed with broken tiles. On top of that rough construction, then they put paving
stones to make the flat surface. These stones were cut so that they fitted together tightly. As the
finishing touch, kerb stones were put at each sides of the road to hold in the paving stones. It was
also used to make a channel for the water to run away.

(Partly taken from: www.

How does Rain Happen?

Rain is the primary source of fresh water for most areas of the world, providing suitable
conditions for diverse ecosystems, as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop
irrigation.
The phenomenon of rain is actually a water circle. The concept of the water cycle involves the
sun heating the Earth's surface water and causing the surface water to evaporate. The water vapor
rises into the Earth's atmosphere. The water in the atmosphere cools and condenses into liquid
droplets. The droplets grow until they are heavy and fall to the earth as precipitation which can
be in the form of rain or snow.
However, not all rain reaches the surface. Some evaporates while falling through dry air. This is
called virga, a phenomenon which is often seen in hot, dry desert regions.
Source:

How chocolate made

Have we wondered how we get chocolate from? Well this time we will enter the amazing world
of chocolate so we can understand exactly we are eating.

Chocolate starts a tree called cacao tree. This tree grows in equatorial regions, especially in place
such as South America, Africa, and Indonesia. The cacao tree produces a fruit about the size of a
small pine apple. In side the fruits are the tree's seeds. They are also known as coco beans.

Next, the beans are fermented for about a week, dried in the sun. After that they are shipped to
the chocolate maker. The chocolate maker starts by roasting the beans to bring out the flavour.
Different beans from different places have different qualities and flavour. So they are often
shorted and blended to produce a distinctive mix.

The next process is winnowing. The roasted beans are winnowed to remove the meat nib of the
cacao bean from its shell. Then the nibs are blended. The blended nibs are ground to make it a
liquid. The liquid is called chocolate liquor. It tastes bitter.

All seeds contain some amount of fat and cacao beans are not different. However, cacao beans
are half fat, which is why the ground nibs from liquid. It is pure bitter chocolate.

How day and night happen

The sun seems to rise in the morning, crosses the sky during the day and sets at night. However the sun
does not actually move around the earth. Earth's turning on its axis makes it look as if the sun is moves.
The earth makes a complete turn on its axis for 24 hours. It is called as rotation. It causes day and night.
The earth also moves around the sun. It takes 365 days or a year. This process is called revolution. The
revolution process causes the changes of the season

Why summer daylight is longer than winter daylight

in the summer, the amount of daylight that we get is more than we get in winter. This is not because as
much people think we are closer to the sun but because of the tilt of the earth.
The earth is actually closer to the sun in winter than it is in summer but you would be forgiven for
thinking that this can not be true after looking out of your window on a cold and frosty morning.
It seems strange that as the earth get closer to the sun during its orbit then the amount of daylight that
we get decrease. But that is the case. It is the tilt of the earth that determine the amount of daylight
that we get and so the length of time that for us the sun is above the horizon.
(Taken from: www.ictteachers.co.uk)

Generic Structure Analysis

General statement; stating the phenomenon whic daylight in summer is longer than in winter.
Explanation; it is the tilt of the earth that determines the amount of daylight not the distance of the
earth from the sun.
Language Feature Analysis
Focusing generic participant; daylight.
Using chronological connection; then, so, but.
Using pasive voice; you would be forgiven.
Using present tense; the earth is actually closer to the sun.