BIOGRAPHY

Definition : Is a detailed description or account of a person’s

life.biography is life story of a person written by someone else.
It is non fiction text.

(usually biographies are about historical figures, but

sometimes they are also about people still living.)

Characteristics :

 Is not written by the subject

 Is always written in third person

 Is based on research not on imagination

 Describes the person’s surroundings (where, when, and how

the person lived)

 Shows how the person affected other people’s life through

their behaviour, discoveries , social reform, etc.

 Supplies details that illustrate the person’s individually

 Use vivid language to narrate events

Generic Structures :

1. Introduction/Orientation

It gives the readers the background information of the

person. It is the opening paragraph. It usually containts
newsworthy information about the person.
2. A series of events

The events should be in chronological order.

3. Closing

It consist of conclusion or a comment of the writter.

Sometimes it tell about the echievement or the contribution of
the person.

Sometimes a biography uses the following structure :

1. Introducing paragraph

It tells about the person in general or general or the basic

fact and information with made him/her own.

2. Supporting Paragraph

It consist of some paragraphs. It contains many events in

chronological order.

Grammar and Language features :

 Use of simple past tense

 Sometimes use other past tense

 Focus on temporal sequence

 Focus on specific participant

 Use of action verb (answering, bathing, breaking, bringing,

calling, building, etc.)
Types :

1. Short Biography : Focuses only on highlights of a person’s

life.

2. Long Biography : Talks about life and times of someone in

a lot more detail.

Social function :

 To know a person’s story about his/her life outside of any

accomplishments this person may be known for.

 To give many information easily and educate the readers.

Example of Biography

Introduction

Barrack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

His father was a Kenyan named Barrack Obama, Sr.(senior). His
mother was a White American named Ann Dunham. His parents
separated when he was two years old and later divorced. His
father returned to Kenya and saw him only once more before he
died in an automobile accidents in 1962.

A series of events

After the divorce, Obama’s mother then married an

Indonesian, Lolo Soentoro. The family then moved to his
stepfather’s home country in 1967. Obama attended local school
in Jakarta until he was ten years old.
 Obama returned to Honolulu in 1971.He lived with his
maternal grandparents until his graduation from high school in
1979. After that, Obama moved to Los Angeles and studied at
Occidental College for two years. Then he transfered to
Columbia University in New York City.

Closing

Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988. He was

selected as an editor of the law review based on his grade and
writing competition. In 1989,he became the first Black
president of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated with
J.D.Magna cum laude from Harvard in 1990.