“GENRES TEXT ENGLISH”
Based on generic structure
and language feature dominantly used, texts are divided into several types.
They are narrative, recount, descriptive, report, explanation, analytical
exposition, hortatory exposition, procedure, discussion, review, anecdote,
spoof, and news item. These variations are known as GENRES.
1. NARRATIVE
Narrative text is a text which
contains a story well written or not written and there is a series of connected
events.
Purpose: To amuse/entertain the readers and to tell a
story
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Complication
3. Resolution
4. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Chronologically arranged
Example:
Snow White
Orientation
Once upon a time there lived a
little girl named Snow White. She lived with her Aunt and Uncle because her
parents were dead.
Complication 1
One day she heard her Uncle and
Aunt talking about leaving Snow White in the castle because they both wanted to
go to America and they didn’t have enough money to take Snow White.
Snow White did not want her
Uncle and Aunt to do this so she decided it would be best if she ran away. The
next morning she ran away from home when her Aunt and Uncle were having
breakfast. She ran away into the woods.
Resolution 1
Then she saw this little
cottage. She knocked but no one answered so she went inside and fell asleep.
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were
coming home from work. They went inside. There they found Snow White sleeping.
Then Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs. The dwarfs said, “what is your
name?” Snow White said, “My name is Snow White.”
Doc,
one of the dwarfs, said, “If you wish, you may live here with us.” Snow White
said, “Oh could I? Thank you.” Then Snow White told the dwarfs the whole story
and finally Snow White and the 7 dwarfs lived happily ever after.
- RECOUNT
Recount Text is one type of text in the English
language retelling of the events or experiences in the past
Purpose: to retell something that happened in the past
and to tell a series of past event
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adjectives
Narrative and recount in some ways are similar. Both
are telling something in the past so narrative and recount usually apply PAST
TENSE; whether Simple Past Tense, Simple Past Continuous Tense, or Past Perfect
Tense. The ways narrative and recount told are in chronological order using
time or place. Commonly narrative text is found in story book; myth, fable,
folklore, etc while recount text is found in biography.
The thing that makes narrative and recount different is the structure in
which they are constructed. Narrative uses conflicts among the participants
whether natural conflict, social conflict or psychological conflict. In some
ways narrative text combines all these conflicts. In the contrary, we do not
find these conflicts inside recount text. Recount applies series of event as
the basic structure
Example :
Last
week I and my family went to Pangandaran beach for having holiday.
Arrived there, we looked for a hotel.
After that I visited spill market to buy swiming dress. Then I went to the beach
for swimming and surving. The next day, I visited the souvenir shop. There were
many kinds of souvenir. I bought some souvenirs there. Meanwhile my parents and
my sister were looking for beach dress at the market. Finally, we went home and
we had the holiday.
- DESCRIPTIVE
Descriptive text is a text that aims
to describe or depict an object in detail, as well as explaining about a
person, object, or a place.
Purpose: to describe a particular person, place or
thing in detail.
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Identification
2. Description
Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Using special technical terms
Example :
What
is a Butterfly?
Butterflies
are beautiful, flying insects with large scaly wings.like all
insects, they have six legs, three body parts, a pair of antennae, and compound
eyes. The three body parts are the head, thorax (the chest), and abdomen (the
tail end). The four wings and the six legs of the butterfly are connected to
the thorax. The thorax contains the muscles that make the legs and wings move.
Butterflies ere very good fliers. They
have two pairs, of large wings covered with colourful scales. Butterflies and
moths are the only insects that have scaly wings. The wings are connected to the
butterfly’s thorax (mid-section). Butterflies can only fly if their body
temperature is above 27 degrees Centigrade. Butterflies sun themselves to warm
up in cool weather. As butterflies get older, the colour of the wings fades and
the wings become ragged.
4.
REPORT
Report Text is text that describes something or objects in
general, for example, various objects or natural phenomena, artificial and
social exist or occur in our environment. Text peeling an observation report,
review, research, observation, or study of objects or animals, people or
places.
Purpose:
to presents information about something, as it is.
Generic
Structure
1. General classification
2. Description
Dominant
Language Feature
1. Introducing group or general aspect
2. Using conditional logical connection
3. Using Simple Present Tense
Example :
ELEPHANT
Elephant
is the largest and strongest of all animals. It is a strange looking animal
which it has thick legs, huge sides and backs, large hanging ears, a small
tail, little eyes, long white tusks and above all, elephant has a long nose,
the trunk. An elephant is commonly seen in a zoo, it is hard to find in its
natural habitat.
The
trunk is the elephant's peculiar feature. This trunk has various usages. The
elephant draws up water by its trunk and can squirt the water all over its body
like a shower bath. The elephant's trunk also lifts leaves and put them into
its mouth. In fact, the trunk serves the elephant as long arm and hand. An
elephant looks very clumsy and heavy and yet an elephant can move very quickly.
- EXPLANATION
Explanation Text is a text which
contains the processes associated with natural phenomena, soisal, science,
culture and other
Purpose: To explain the processes involved in the
formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
Generic Structure:
1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verbs
3. Using passive voice
4. Using noun phrase
5. Using adverbial phrase
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.
Example:
Making
Paper from Woodchips
General statement
Woodchipping
is a process used to obtain pulp and paper products from forest trees. The
woodchipping process begins when the trees are cut down in a selected area of
the forest called a coupe.
Squence
of explanation
Next
the tops and branches of the trees are cut out and then the logs are taken to
the mill. At the mill the bark of the logs is removed and the logs are taken to
a chipper which cuts them into small pieces called woodchips. The woodchips are
then screened to remove dirt and other impurities. At this stage they are
either exported in this form or changed into pulp by chemicals and heat. The pulp
is then bleached and the water content is removed.
Closing
Finally
the pulp is rolled out to make paper.
- ANALYTICAL
EXPOSITION
analytical exposition can be
interpreted as a text that explains thoroughly about an issue involving the
opinion of the author
Purpose: To reveal the readers that something is the
important case
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Reiteration/Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using modals
2. Using action verbs
3. Using thinking verbs
4. Using adverbs
5. Using adjective
6. Using technical terms
7. Using general and abstract noun
8. Using connectives/transition
Example :
NUCLEAR POWER
There
are three separate source of hazard in the process of supplying energy by
nuclear power. The radioactive material must travel from its place of
manufacture to the power station. Although the power station themselves are
solidity, built, the container used for the transport of the material are not.
There are normally two methods of transport available, namely road or rail.
Unfortunately, both of this involve close contact with the general public,
since the routes are sure to pass near, or even though, heavy populated
areas.
Next,
there is problem of waste. All nuclear power station produce waste that the
most cases will remain radioactive for thousand of years. It is impossible to
make these wastes non radioactive, and so they must be stored in one of the
inconvenient ways that the scientist have invented. For example, they may be
buried under the ground, or dropped into abandoned mines, or sunk the sea.
However, theses methods do not solve the problem, since the earthquake could
easily crack the containers open.
- HORTATORY
EXPOSITION
Hortatory Exposition is a type of
English text that belongs to the class of Argumentation.
Purpose: to persuade the readers that something should
or should not be the case or be done
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Recommendation
Dominant Language features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using modals
3. Using action verbs
4. Using thinking verbs
5. Using adverbs
6. Using adjective
7. Using technical terms
8. Using general and abstract noun
9. Using connectives/transition
Then what is the basic difference between analytical and hortatory
exposition. In simple word. Analytical is the answer of "How is/will"
while hortatory is the answer of "How should". Analytical exposition
will be best to describe "How will student do for his examination? The
point is the important thing to do. But for the question" How should
student do for his exam?" will be good to be answered with hortatory. It
is to convince that the thing should be done
Example :
Corruption
Thesis
Do you know what the meaning of
corruption is? What is the relation between money and corruption? Well,
corruption is common everywhere in the world, even in the United States. It’s
just a matter of intensity. However, it is quite shocking when one reliable
survey claims Jakarta as the most corrupt place in Indonesia.
Argument 1
The
survey has made me sad, actually, because I stay and earn a living here in the
capital. As most people know, Tanjung Priok port smuggling is not a new thing
at all. Entrepreneurs who want to minimize their tax payments tend to do such a
thing more often. They even bribe the officials.
Recommendation
I
believe we should start at the earliest stages in school and I think everyone
should be involved in the effort to eradicate corruption. We must not make any
distinction.
- PROCEDURE
Procedure Text is a text in English
which has a function to describe the process in making something / run /
operate anything that is written with regular steps.
Purpose: to help readers how to do or make something
completely
Generic Structure:
1. Goal/Aim
2. Materials/Equipments
3. Steps/Methods
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using Imperatives sentence
3. Using adverb
4. Using technical terms
Example:
How to Make Mango Juice
Materials Needed :
·
a piece of mango
·
a half glass of water
·
a glass of ice pack
·
a spoon of sugar
Steps :
1.
First, peel the mango and
clean it
2.
Next, cut the mango into
pieces and put them into the juicer
3.
Then, put the water, ice
and sugar
4.
After that turn on the
juice and wait about 15 seconds
5.
Finally, pour the mango
juice into the glass and ready to drink
- DISCUSSION
To present information and opinions about issues
in more one side of an issue, usually opposite each other.
Purpose: to present information and opinions about
issues in more one side of an issue (‘For/Pros’ and ‘Against/Cons’)
Generic Structure:
1. Issue
2. Arguments for and against
3. Conclusion
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Use of relating verb/to be
3. Using thinking verb
4. Using general and abstract noun
5. Using conjunction/transition
6. Using modality
7. Using adverb of manner
Example:
The Ban on Smoking in Public Places
Smoking ban in public places has
been a hot issue these last months not only in Malta but also in various
countries who are discussing the effects a ban would have. There have been
several debates on smoking ban. Even though the harmful effects of smoking,
both active and passive, are well known and undeniable smoking is far from
being in decline; it is spreading among young people in particular quickly.
Most controversial debate is going
on public smoking ban. The reason is simple, smoking ban affects directly all
people rapidly and we can see its effects in a short-term period. There have
been a lot of arguments brought up both in favour and against a public smoking
ban. Some of the arguments in favour are the following. Smoking ban is one of
the controversial ways for reducing smoking and recognizing non-smokers’ right
to health protection. The health risks of smoking are clear. Passive smoking
does carry risks. Many leading medical and scientific organizations recognize
second hand smoke as a cause of a range of life-threatening conditions. The
health situation could be drastically improved if one of the risk factors -
tobacco - was eliminated. People have a right to protect themselves from smoke
inhalation. People shouldn’t have to inhale the ill-effects of other people’s
smoking. The creation of smoke-free public places also improves air quality.
- REVIEW
Review Text is the text to explain
again about a product, either the real and un-real
Purpose: to critique or evaluate an art work or event
for a public audience dominant
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Evaluation
3. Interpretative Recount
4. Evaluation
5. Evaluative Summation
Dominant Language features:
1. Focus on specific participants
2. Using adjectives
3. Using long and complex clauses
4. Using metaphor
Example:
2012 Film Review
2012
is Roland Emmerich's film which uses the Mayan calendar and other end-of-days
prophecies for their doomsday scenario. It imagines the world coming to an end
in 2012.
2012 film brings off a series of
wonders. The movie hits its peak early on. It starts when Cusack drives a limo
through the streets of Los Angeles as freeways and skyscrapers crumble all
around him from the shock of a 10.5 earthquake. The preposterous flying
sequence is equally thrilling. The climax occurs aboard the giant ark, when an
equipment malfunction almost threatens the entire mission.
Unfortunately, the crucial
sequence is not filmed or edited with the requisite clarity. In 2012 film, Emmerich
leaves us befuddled as to exactly what is happening to whom. However, Emmerich'
2012 deserves credit for offbeat casting. Cusack supplies his trademark hangdog
charm. McCarthy has perhaps his best role ever as Peet's cocky. Danny Glover
lends dignity to the role of the tormented president. Chiwetel Ejiofor, as the
chief scientist, brings a moving sense of anguish to a stock role. Platt has
fun playing the villain of the piece, and Woody Harrelson also chews the
scenery as a bug-eyed radio prophet trying to warn his listeners about
Armageddon.
All in one, 2012's
cinematography, production design and visual effects are awards-worthy. Music
also propels the movie. It presents American Idol runner-up, Adam Lambert, who
provides a rousing anthem over the end credits.
- ANECDOTE
Purpose: to share with others an account of an unusual
or amusing incident
Generic Structure:
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Reaction
5. Coda.
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers
2. Using material process
3. Using temporal conjunctions
Example:
Snake
in the Bath
Abstract
How
would you like to find a snake in your bath? A nasty one too!
Orientation
We
had just moved into a new house, which had been empty for so long that everything
was in a terrible mess. Anna and I decided we would clean the bath first, so we
set to, and turned on the tap.
Crisis
Suddenly
to my horror, a snake’s head appeared in the plug-hole. Then out slithered the
rest of his long thin body. He twisted and turned on the slippery bottom of the
bath, spitting and hissing at us.
Reaction/Incident
For
an instant I stood there quite paralysed. Then I yelled for my husband, who
luckily came running and killed the snake with the handle of a broom. Anna, who
was only three at the time, was quite interested in the whole business. Indeed
I had to pull her out of the way or she’d probably have leant over the bath to
get a better look!
- SPOOF
Purpose: to tell an event with a humorious twist and
entertain the readers
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Twist
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Chronologically arranged
Example :
Nasrudin
Gets a Cow
One day, Nasrudin’s wife told him, “Let’s buy a cow so that
we can have milk every day.
Nasrudin replied, “We don’t have enough space in our yard for my donkey and a
new cow.”
But despite Nasrudin’s objection, his wife persisted until he finally gave in.
So he bought the cow—and just he predicted, it crowded his beloved donkey in
the barn. To end this problem, Nasrudin started to pray one night, saying,
“Dear God, please kill the cow, so my wife can’t bother me about it anymore,
and so my donkey can live in peace.”
The next day, Nasrudin went into the barn and was dismayed to discover that his
donkey was dead! He looked up and said, “God, I don’t mean to offend you or
anything, but let me ask you this—after all these years, do you mean to tell me
that you still can’t tell the difference between a cow and a donkey?”
- NEWS ITEM
News Items Text is one of the (Types Of Text) which
gives the reader information about the events that happen everyday.
Purpose: to inform readers about events of the day
which are considered newsworthy or important
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Newsworthy event(s)
2. Background event(s)
3. Sources
Dominant Language Features:
1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline
2. Using action verbs
3. Using saying verbs
4. Using adverbs : time, place and manner
Example :
Seven Killed in Accident on Jalan Sultan
Newsworthy
Event
Seven
people were killed in a collision between a bus, a car and a truck at 10:35
p.m. on Jalan Sultan last night.
Backgroud Event
The
dead were all passengers in the car. Police believe the car may have been
trying to overtake the bus when it was struck by a truck coming from the
opposite direction. The driver of the car may not have been using his lights,
as the truck driver said he did not see the car approaching.
Sources
The
police said the car should not have been trying to pass the bus, since
overtaking is not allowed on Jalan Sultan. In addition, the police reported
that the car–a small Japanese car–should not have been carrying more than five
people. The names of the victims are not yet known.
