EXPLANATION TEXT

An explanation text is a non – fiction text

that is used to describe HOW
Or why something happen.
It Usually includes Sequences of events.
( explaining how ) and provide
Reasons for a process or phenomenon
( WHY ).
For examples : Rain, Earthquakes, how
bread is made. How can we taste
Food etc.
A. Pengertian Explanation Texti “Explanation is a
text which tells processes relating to forming of
natural, social, scientific and cultural
phenomena”. Explanation adalah sebuah teks yang
berisi tentang proses-proses yang berhubungan
dengan fenomena-fenomena alam, sosial, ilmu
pengetahuan, budaya dan lainnya.
B. Tujuan Explanation Text
To explain the processes involved in the formation
or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
Tujuan komunikatif dari explanation text adalah
untuk menerangkan proses-proses yang terjadi
dalam pembentukan sesuatu yang terkait dengan
fenomena-fenomena alam, sosial, ilmu
pengetahuan, budaya, dan lainnya yang bertujuan
menjelaskan bagaimana atau mengapa hal tersebut
bisa terjadi. ( to describe how or why something
happen )
C. Generic Structure Explanation Text
1. General statement / OPENING STATEMENT
tentang penjelasan umum tentang fenomena
yang akan dibahas, bisa berupa pengenalan
fenomena tersebut atau penjelasannya.
2. Squenced of explanation
berisi tentang penjelasan proses mengapa
fenomena tersebut bisa terjadi atau tercipta. A
squenced of explanation berupa jawaban dari
pertanyaan ‘why’ dan ‘how’ penulis ketika
membuat sebuah Explanation text. Dalam
squenced of explanation bisa terdiri lebih dari
satu paragrap.
3. Closing
Sebenarnya closing itu tidak tercantum dalam
generic structure dari Explanation text, tetapi
kebanyakan orang beranggapan bahwa paragrap
terakhir dari sebuah Explanation text adalah
closing, padahal itu merupakan bagian dari
squenced of explantaion yang berisi tentang
langkah akhir yang dijelaskan pada bagian
squenced of explanation.

Ciri-ciri Explanation Text/ language features

1. Sebuah Explanation text biasanya berasal dari
pertanyaan penulis terkait ‘why’ dan ‘how’
terhadap suatu fenomena yang ada.
2. Karena yang diangkat adalah fenomena maka
fokus materinya bukan pada bendanya atau
orangnya, melainkan pada kejadian atau peristiwa
yang terjadi pada orang atau benda tersebut.
Focuses on general group rather than specipic.
3. use Simple Present tense.
4. Use of action verbs like break, eat, erupts etc.
5. Use passive voice.
6. Use of technical terms and language relevant to
the subject / topics.
7. Conjunction should be used to make
connections like and, but, or
8. Use of linking words like in general, rather, for
example, for instance.
9. Gives a detailed description to create a rich
meaning.
E. Contoh Explanation Text dan Penjelasannya
Earthqukes

Contoh 1: 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 makes 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.
Penjelasan:
 Paragraf Pertama adalah tentang General
Statement (pernyataan umum). Melihat dari teks
tersebut tentu GSnya adalah an Earthquake
happening.
 Paragraf kedua: Squenced of
explanation adalah penjelasan tentang
bagaimana Earthquake bisa terjadi. Gempa bumi
bisa terjadi pada dasarnya adalah karena “rock
underground suddenly breaks along a fault”.
Penjelasan lainnya adalah tentang kronologi how
rock underground breaks along a fault.
 Paragraf ketiga: closing yang menerangkan
bahwa pergeseran lempeng bumi terus terjadi
dan menerangkan bahwa titik di bawah bumi
dimana batu mengalami patahan (where the rock
breaks) disebut sebagai Focus of the eartquake
dan tempat di atas titik tersebut disebut
epicenter of earthquake.
EXAMPLES OF EXPLANATION TEXT
  Flood
Flooding is a disaster which commonly
happens in large and densely populated cities.
In Indonesia, the floods hit Jakarta very often
and cause many victims. Then, do you know
the process of how flood happens? Pay
attention to the following explanation.
The process of natural flooding is preceded by
rain which falls to the surface of the earth. Then
the rain water is absorbed by the ground
surface and flows to the lower place. Once that
condition happens, evaporation and the water
appear to the surface of the land. Flooding can
be disastrous for humans when floods happen
in an area that people live because the water
carries along objects like houses, bridges, cars,
furniture and even people.

On the other hand, the process of non natural

flooding is usually caused by bad habits of
humans who do not care about the
environment, such as littering that can make
water flow clogged. This makes the water
deposited in landfills which gradually becomes
more common. When water reservoirs can no
longer hold water discharge, the water then
overflows out theland and cause flooding.
PELAJARI EXPLANATION TEXT DI ATAS
KEMUDIAN BANDINGKAN DENGAN REPORT
TEXT
CARI :
1.DEFINITION OF REPORT TEXT
2.EXAMPLE OF REPORT TEXT
3.PURPOSE OF REPORT TEXT
4.GENERIC STRUCTURE
5.LANGUAGE FEATURES
6.BERIKAN KESIMPULAN DARI
PERBANDINGAN TERSEBUT

Jawab
1. Report is a text which presents information
about something, as it is. It is as a result of
systematic observation and analyses.
2. Example of Report Text – Pigeon
Pigeon
Pigeon refers to all birds of the family Columbidae
and order Columbiformes. They consist of 310
species. Some people may also know them as
“Doves”. There is no clear distinction between the
use of the word “pigeons” and “doves” until today.
But generally, the word “Pigeons” is used to address
the species known as the Rock Dove, while the word
“Doves” is used to address a pigeon that is white.
Pigeons exhibit various size and color based on their
species. The smallest species may have the size of
15 cm and weight 30 g, while the largest species
can grow up to 75 cm with the body weight of 2 kg.
Some of their color are: pale gray, white, brown,
reddish and black. Most of them have two black bars
on their wings. They have a small head with short
beak. Their body is compact with two large and
muscular wings and two short legs on it.

Pigeons can be found almost in any region in the

world. They have been domesticated since 10.000
years ago. they have been used by humans for
several purposes such as courier to deliver short
written messages, sacred symbols in a wedding
ceremony, entertainment in a magic show and also
as a racing birds. Some species are also edible and
they are served as food in some places.

3. Its social purpose is presenting information

about something. They generally describe an entire
class of things, whether natural or made: mammals,
the planets, rocks, plants, countries of region,
culture, transportation, and so on.
4. # General Clasification ; Stating classification
of general aspect of thing; animal, public place,
plant, etc which will be discussed in general.
# Description : tells what the phenomenon
under discussion ; in terms of parts, qualities, habits
or behaviors.
5. Language Feature of Report text:
– Use of general nouns, eg hunting dogs, rather
than particular nouns, eg our dog;
– Use of relating verbs to describe features, eg
Molecules are tiny particles;
– Some use of action verbs when describing
behaviour, eg Emus cannot fly;
– Use of timeless present tense to indicate
usualness, eg Tropical cyclones always begin over
the sea;
– Use of technical terms, eg Isobars are lines drawn
on a weather map;
– Use of paragraphs with topic sentences to
organise bundles of information; repeated naming of
the topic as the beginning focus of the clause.

6. Equation of Explanation Text and Report

Text
Both are the results of an observation that has
been done so that it is not a type of fiction or essay.

Difference between Explanation Text and

Report Text
Explanation text explains the occurrence of an event
and why the phenomenon can occur, for example
regarding the rainbow, explanation text explains how
the rainbow can occur and why it happened.
Text reports describe the state or elements that are
owned. for example, in a rainbow what elements are
there so that a beautiful rainbow can form.