EXPLANATION

TEXT
Grade XII
semester 1 2022

teacher : Ms. Tien

What is explanation text ?
a kind of text which tells how or why
something occurs.

Explanation details and logically

describe the stages in a process, such
as the rainbow.

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An explanation text tells your audience…
-how something works or
-why something happens.

✓ Explanations, detail and logically describe the stages in a

process, such as the water cycle or how a steam engine
works, how a law is made or why we blink when we sneeze.

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Generic structure of
explanation text :

1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing

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“ DON’T GET CONFUSED….
an explanation text , explains the how and why behind a process, such as
✓ What causes a Tsunami?
✓ Why are our rainforests disappearing?
A procedural text is about writing logical and efficient instructions to complete a task.
✓ How to Make Scrambled Eggs
✓ How to Make Mango Juice
explanation focuses more on the ‘why.’
Procedure text is all about the ‘how
So as we can see both text types are very different in purpose.

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 Example of Explanation Text :
(General Statement)
Lightning is a natural phenomenon that usually appears in the rainy season when the sky gives rise to
a momentary flash of blinding light. A few moments later, followed by a thunderous sound called
thunder. This difference in time of appearance is due to the difference between the speed of sound
and the speed of light.

(Explanation)
Lightning occurs because there's a potential difference between the cloud and the earth or with other
clouds. The process of the occurrence of charge on the cloud because it moves continuously
regularly, and during its movement it will interact with other clouds so that negative charges will gather
on one side (up or down), while positive charges gather on the opposite side.
If the potential difference between the cloud and the earth is large enough, there will be a discharge of
negative charges (electrons) from the cloud to the earth or vice versa to reach equilibrium. In this
discharge process, the medium through which electrons pass is air. When electrons are able to
penetrate the air insulation threshold, a sound explosion occurs.

(Closing)
Lightning is more common in the rainy season, because in that condition, the air contains a higher
moisture content so that the insulation power drops and the current flows more easily. Because there
are negatively charged clouds and positively charged clouds, lightning can also occur between clouds
of different charges.

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HOW TO WRITE AN EXPLANATION TEXT

✓ What is it about? What are you explaining? Are you explaining how
or why something happens or are you explaining a process?
✓ What is the title?
✓ What are the essential parts and sections of what you want to
explain? How would you describe it and its parts? Which parts need
to be described as part of the explanation?
✓ How does it work? What happens first, next, and why

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 Reference list :
5 Examples of Explanation Text with Generic Structure
https://www.getenglishnow.org/2020/08/5-examples-of-explanation-text-with.html

Explanation Text; Definition, Generic Structures, Purposes, Language Features

http://britishcourse.com/explanation-text-definition-generic-structures-purposes-language-
features.php

EXPLANATION TEXT
https://literacyideas.com/explanation-texts/

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Thank you