REPORT TEXT

Pendahuluan
Dalam materi ini anda akan mempelajari salah satu jenis teks ( genre ) yakni teks
report yang mempunyai langkah retorika yaitu General Classification – Description dan
mempunyai fungsi sosial ( social function ) untuk menjelaskan sesuatu apa adanya, yang
menyangkut kejadian alam, karya manusia, dan fenomena sosial di sekitar kita . Teks ini
mempunyai kebahasaan khusus (lexico grammar ) di antaranya penggunaan simple present
dan to be . Berbagai jenis latihan reading comprehension, grammar dan vocabulary yang
diberikan secara intensif dan bervariatif akan lebih mempermudah anda memahami teks.

Key words : Report text, General Classification, Description, Social Function,

block-fault mountain, volcano, fold mountain
Teks report adalah salah satu jenis teks ( genre ) dalam bahasa Inggris yang
menjelaskan sesuatu apa adanya. Teks ini mempunyai langkah-langkah retorika (
generic structure) yang terdiri dari
: General Classification dan Description.
• General Classification : Klasifikasi umum tentang apa yang dijelaskan (
tells what the phenomenon under discussion is )
• Description : menjelaskan fenomena-fenomena yang sedang dijelaskan
dalam bagian- bagian, kualitas, kebiasaan dan tingkah laku ( tells what the
phenomenon under discussion is like in terms of parts, qualities, habits or
behavior ).
Fungsi sosial teks report ( social function of a report text ) adalah untuk menjelaskan
sesuatu apa adanya

Definition of Report
Report is a text which presents information about something, as it is. It is as a
result of systematic observation and analysis Purpose: to presents information
about something, as it is.

Generic Structure

1. General classification: Stating classification of general aspect of thing;

animal, public place, plant, etc which will be discussed in general

2. Description: Describing the thing which will be discussed in detail; part

per part , customs or deed for living creature and usage for materials
Dominant Language Feature

1. Introducing group or general aspect

 2. Using conditional logical connection

3. Using Simple Present Tense

Language Feature of Report

• Introducing group or general aspect
• Using conditional logical connection; when, so, etc
• Using simple present tense

PLATYPUS; A REPORT TEXT

Many people call platypus duckbill because this animal has a bill like duckbill.
Platypus is a native Tasmania and southern and eastern Australia.
Platypus has a flat tail and webbed feet. Its body length is 30 to 45 cm and
covered with a thick, and woolly layer of fur. Its bill is detecting prey and stirring up mud.
Platypus' eyes and head are small. It has no ears but has ability to sense sound and light.
Platypus lives in streams, rivers, and lakes. Female platypus usually dig burrows in the streams
or river banks. The burrows are blocked with soil to protect it from intruders and flooding. In the
other hand, male platypus does not need any burrow to stay
Analyzing on the Text Generic Structure analysis
General classification; stating general classification, the animal of
platypus. Description; describing in detail characterization of platypus'
body and habitual life Language Feature Analysis
Focusing in group; the animal of platypus conditional, logical connective; but, in the
other hand Simple present tense pattern;
Platypus lives in streams, male platypus does not need any burrow, etc

THE DIFFERENCES BE TWEEN REPORT AND DESCRIPTIVE TEXT

Some text types are quite difficult to differ. Such report and descriptive text have
the similarity in the social function and generic structure. However if they are analyzed carefully,
the slight difference between the two text types will reveal.
The purpose of the two texts are to give the live-description of the
object/participant. Both the report and descriptive text try to show rather than tell the reader
about the factual condition of the object. Readers by themselves will catch the impressive point
of the object through that showing writing style.
What make different, between report and descriptive text, is the scope of the written
object.
If we talk about, eg: bicycle, it belongs to report text. It will talk about bicycle in
general; its parts, physical strengh, function for certain people or other general characters of
bike. In the other hand, descriptive text will convey more focus, for example "my bicycle" with its
specific characters; colour, lengh, wheel style, etc.
In short, report text describes the way of certain things and frequently refer to
phenomenon of nature, animal and scientific object. Mostly, report is written after getting careful
observation.
This scientific and technical sense make clearer difference from descriptive text.
The way of descriptive text in showing thing is based on the objective fact of the thing. It
describe the specific thing simply as the thing is
This sample report is labelled to show you the structure and language features of a
report text.

title Harvesting machines

general
stateme
nt

series of
descriptio
ns
 A sample experimental report
Experimental reports are very important in your course. You will use this type
of writing to describe experiments and to explain what you have learned from them. It is
a mix of text types.
The aim describes what you were trying to find out. Sometimes a list of
materials and equipment is included -- this part can be called the apparatus.
The method lists the steps you carried out during the experiment. A diagram
is often included in the method as it can give a clear, concise description of how any
apparatus was set up. In the example given the method is written as a procedure text
in the present tense. At other times the method is written in the third person and in the
past tense.
The results section describes what happened. (This is a report text.) The
results are often graphed if appropriate.
The conclusion explains what you found out. (This is an explanation text.)
A discussion may be included in the conclusion or sometimes it is included in
a separate section. (This is often an exposition text.)

Refer to the sample experimental report and information on other text types
to answer these questions.

1 The aim and method are in the form of a procedure text. What are
the language features and structure of procedure text?

2 The results section is in the form of a report text.

What are the language features and structure of report text?

3 The conclusion is in the form of a explanation text. What are the

language features and structure of explanation text?
The results section and conclusion from a sample experimental report.

title Soil type and plant growth

aim
(goal
)

materia
ls and
equipm
e nt

steps
 The results section and conclusion from a sample experimental report.

title Results

general statement

description

title
Conclusion

phenomeno
n
identificatio
n

explanation
sequence
Another sample method.
steps

Lexico Grammar
Simple
Present
The Simple Present Tense is used to express that something was true in the past, is true
in the present, and will be true in the future.It is used for general statements of fact.
 Example: 1. Every continent has mountain chains.
2. The power of forming comes from the
depth in the earth.
3. It snows in Alaska
4. Diana washes her hair everyday.
5. They have beautiful garden

Tria Height Vigour

l (cm)
S1 24 small leaves, pale in colour
S2 28 few leaves, slightly yellow
S3 17 small leaves; spindly stem
C1 26 very green leave
C2 29 large, healthy leaves and stem
C3 24 few leaves, weak stem
L1 30 healthy plant, green, strong stem
L2 35 very healthy plant
L3 32 large leaves, strong stem
Activity 1 Retell the following report about camel in your own words. Use the pictures if
necessary.
Activity 2 Read and understand the following text.
Activity3 Answer the questions based on the text in Activity 2. Do it in pairs.
1. Are kangaroos and wallabies indigenous animals of Australia?
2.What does the word "these" in paragraph 2 refer to?
3.What do people call the largest kangaroos?
4.Where do you find the pouch of the female kangaroo?
5.What does the word "it" in sentence ... it crawls at once refer to?
6.Can you fi nd the sentence considered the definition of a kangaroo? State it.
7.Which sentences tell you about the description of the kangaroo's appearance?

Activity 3 Read the text and answer the questions.

1. What is meant by lightning?

2. When does lightning usually happen?
3. What does the word "this" in the last sentence of paragraph 1 refer to?
4. What does the word "it" in paragraph 2 refer to?

Grammar Review

Simple Present Tense

Study the following sentences.
1. Lightning occurs in hot, wet storms.
2. Whales are sea-living mammals.
3. Kangaroos eat grass and plants.
4. An iceberg is an enormous piece of ice floating in the sea.
5. A tiger is a wild animal. The tiger eats meat.
The tense that are used in a report text is the simple present tense. The simple present
tense is used to give general truths and habitual actions. The sentences above tell you about
the general truth: Everyone knows that a tiger is a wild animal. And everyone also knows that
whales are sea-living mammals.
 Besides, everyone also knows that kangaroos eat grass and plants. That the tiger eats
meat, but the tiger does not eat grass and plants.
Verbs that are used in the simple present tense are: to be (is, am, are) and verb (eat,
occurs, etc.) or the verbs are usually named as infinitive verbs.
The form of simple present tense:
Subject + Verb + O Kangaroos eat grass
and plants. Subject + Verb + (–s) + O The
tiger eats meat.
The use of simple present tense in a report text is to define something.

Activity 4 Rearrange the following text.