 5th Meeting of Functional Grammar

March 14, 2018  Transitivity System Analysis

Text Genre, Social Function, Generic Structure, and Significant

Lexicogrammatical Feature (adapted from Gerot & Wignell, 1994)

Some Significant
No Text Genre Social Function Generic Structure Lexicogrammatical
Features
 Orientation:  Focus on specific
provides the setting participants
and introduces
participants  Use of material and
mental processes
 Events: tell what (Mental process is
happened, in what used in the comment
To retell events for
sequence part.)
the purpose of
1 Recount
informing or
 Re-orientation/  Circumstances of time
entertaining
comment and place
(optional):
provides closure of
events (Evaluation
of events/
emotional
responses)
 Identification:  Focus on specific
identifies participants
phenomenon to be
To describe a described  Use of attributive and
2 Descriptive particular person, identifying processes
place, or thing  Description:
describes parts,
qualities, or
characteristics
To amuse,  Orientation: sets  Focus on specific and
entertain, and deal the scene and usually individualized
with actual or introduces the participants
vicarious participants
3 Narrative experience in  Use of material,
different ways;  Evaluation: a behavioral, relational,
Narratives deal stepping back to mental, and verbal
with problematic evaluate the plight processes
events which lead

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  5th Meeting of Functional Grammar
March 14, 2018  Transitivity System Analysis

to a crisis or  Complication: a  Use of temporal

turning point of crisis arises circumstances
some kind, which
in turn finds a  Resolution: the
resolution. crisis is resolved,
for better or for
worse

 Re-orientation
(optional)
 Goal  Focus on generalized
human agents
To describe how  Materials (not
something is required for all  Use mainly of
accomplished instruction texts) material process
4 Instruction
through a
sequence of  Steps (The goal is
actions or steps followed by a series
of steps oriented to
achieve the goal.)
 A general  Focus on generic,
statement to non- human
position the reader participants
To explain the
process involved in
 A sequenced  Use mainly of
the formation or
5 Explanation explanation of why material and
workings of natural
or how something relational processes
or sociocultural
occurs
phenomena
 Use mainly of
temporal and causal
circumstances
 Issue:  Focus on generic
- Statement human and generic
- Preview non-human
participants
 Arguments for and
against or  Use of material,
To present at least
statements of relational, verbal, and
6 Discussion two points of view
differing points of mental processes
about an issue
view
- Point
- Elaboration

 Conclusion or
recommendations

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  5th Meeting of Functional Grammar
March 14, 2018  Transitivity System Analysis

 Thesis  Focus on generic

- Position: introduces human and non-
topic and indicates human participants
writer’s position
 Use of relational and
- Preview: outlines the verbal processes
main arguments to
be presented

To persuade the  Arguments

Analytical reader or listener - Points: restates main
7
Exposition that something is argument outlined in
the case the preview part

- Elaboration:
develops and
supports each
point/argument

 Reiteration:
restates writer’s
position
 Thesis:  Focus on generic
announcement of human and non-
issue of concern human participants
To persuade the
 Arguments: reasons  Use of mental,
reader or listener
Hortatory for concern, leading material, verbal, and
8 that something
Exposition to recommendation relational processes
should or should
not be the case
 Recommendation:
statement of what
ought or ought not
to happen

Reference:

Gerot, L & Wignell, P. (1994). Making sense of functional grammar: An introductory

workbook. Cammeray, Australia: Gerd Stebler.