RECOUNT TEXT

Recount text is a text which reports or informs an event, an activity, or someone’s

experience in the past time.

The purpose of recount text is to retell the readers in the past event.

Social function :
The social function is what good values that we can take or learn from someone’s experience.

Language Features (Unsur Kebahasaan)

1. Focus on Specific participant, e.g.: I (the writer), Dinar (my roommate), etc.
2. Using conjunction, such as: then, before, after that, etc.
3. Using action verb, e.g.: went, stayed, etc.
4. Using Simple Past Tense

Jenis-jenis Recount Text:

1. Personal Recount: Jenis Recount Text yang pertama ini biasanya berupa informasi
atau cerita pribadi yang merupakan pengalaman dari si penulis Recount Text itu
sendiri.
2. Factual Recount: Jenis Recount Text yang kedua ini biasanya berisi mengenai
laporan dari sebuah peristiwa atau kejadian nyata yang benar-benar telah terjadi di
masa lampau.
3. Imaginative Recount: Jenis Recount Text selanjutnya Imaginative, yaitu sebuah
recount yang mana hanyalah sebuah cerita imajinasi dari si penulis. Namun, cerita
imajinasi tersebut masih tetap merupakan sebuah peristiwa yang telah terjadi di masa
lampau.
4. Biographical: Jenis Recount Text yang terakhir adalah biographical di mana text ini
menceritakan riwayat, kisah, atau history hidup dari seseorang. Namun, pada
penulisannya kita menggunakan sudut pandang orang ketiga, yaitu: she, he, dan it.

Generic structure of recount text:

1. Orientation: the introduction about the subject (person who had the experience or
event which happened), the place, and the time.
2. Events: a series of the events
3. Reorientation: closing (it usually tells the writer’s feeling toward the event or the
experience)
The examples of recount text:
Last week, a bad thing happened to me. One whole week, how miserable I only lied on the
bed; no school; no game; no outinhg. It started with a cold and a bad cough. By evening, my
temperature had risen to 40 degrees Celcius. I simly could not open my eyes or get up from bed
even to go to the toilet. My eyes felt a burning sensation. My lips were dry and my whole body
ached. I had no appetite.
My parents rushed me to our family doctor. The doctor examined me and prescribed a
course of medicines including anti-biotics. I did not mind being in bed all the twenty four hours.
Once the medicines made me better, I began to feel bored and yearned to go back to school. My
mother was firm that I should strictly follow the doctor’s advice.
No fried or oily food, only porrige and milk. Medicines should be taken every three hours.
The doctor adviced me to have some fruits. My mother was closly monitoring my temperature.
My parents insisted that I should stay in bed for most part of the day
I spent my time reading books. My classmates were not allowed to visit me until my fever
was over. One week passed in this way. When my doctor declared that I was free of the virus and
I could resume my normal life, I was overwhelmed with joy.
 Going To Sanur Beach
Last holiday our family went to Bali to have picnic. We went there by plane. We were in
Bali for six day, so we had to stay in a hotel because we didn’t have any relatives there. We
stayed in Bali beach hotel near Sanur beach.
When we came to the hotel, we didn’t come to our room directly but we have to check in
first. We were received by the receptionists who were friendly and kind, and then we were
helped by a room boy who took us to our rooms.
On the second day we visited Sanur beach. We just took a walk because the beach is in
front of the hotel. We walked along the seashore, played water and sand. Actually we also
wanted to swim in the beach but the lifeguard didn’t allow us.
Besides doing many activities we also watched some foreign tourist’s activities. They were lying
on the beach, while others were having massage or surfing. When we felt tired, we took a rest to
have some meals and drinks; and at 2.0 p.m. We went to the hotel. It was tiring but we were
happy.

Perhatikan contoh di bawah untuk menganalisis Recount Text

Observe the social function, the generic structure and the language features of the following
text. (Amati dan perhatikan perbedaan antara fungsi sosial, struktur teks (generic structure),
dan ciri kebahasaan (language features):

Generic Structure The Text Language Features

Orientation On 10 November, Indonesia celebrates Past Tense: started who:

Hari Pahlawan or heroes Day in Indonesia, what: Hari
remembrance of the Battle of Surabaya Pahlawan or Heroes Day
which started on that very date in the Adverb of time: on 10
year 1945. November, on that very
date in the year
 1945.

Events The bloody battle took place because Past Tense: took,
Indonesians refused to surrender their
refused, was, played,
weaponry to British army. British started, angered, felt, was,
Army at that time was part of the Allied began
Forces. The defiant Bung Tomo is the
action verb: told,
well-knownrevolutionary leader who
played a very important role in this refused, played
battle. It all started because of a
who: Bung Tomo,
misunderstanding between
British army, British troops,
British troops in Jakarta and those in
Brigadier A.W.WS. Mallaby,
Surabaya, under the command of
Governor of East Java
Brigadier A.W.WS.Mallaby. Brigadier
Mallaby already had an agreement
with Governor of East Java Mr. Surya.
The agreement stated that British Mr. Surya, Brigadier
would not ask Indonesian troops and Mallaby, Lieutenant
militia to surrender their weapons. General Sir Philip
Christison, British
However, a British plane from troops, 6,000 and
Jakarta dropped leaflets all over
Surabaya. The leaflet told 16,000 Indonesians
Indonesians to do otherwise on 27 what: Hari Pahlawan or
October 1945. This action angered heroes Day, The bloody
the Indonesian troops and militia battle, their weaponry, an
leaders because they felt betrayed. agreement, Indonesian
On 30 October 1945, Brigadier troops and militia, their
Mallaby was killed as he was weapons, a British plane,
approaching the British troops’ post leaflets, reinforcements
near Jembatan Merah or Red Bridge, conjunction: and,
Surabaya. There were many reports however, as, although,
about the death, but it was widely
believed that the Brigadier was Adverb of time: on that
murdered by Indonesian militia. very date in the year 1945,
Looking at this situation, Lieutenant 27 October
General Sir Philip Christison 1945, 30 October
brought in reinforcements to siege 1945, In the early
the city. morning of 10
In the early morning of 10 November November 1945
1945, British troops began to
advance into Surabaya with cover Adverb of place: in
from both naval and air Jakarta, in Surabaya,
 bombardment. Although the Jakarta, all over
Indonesians defended the city Surabaya, near
heroically, the city was conquered
Jembatan Merah or Red
within 3 days and the whole battle
Bridge, Surabaya.
lasted for 3 weeks. In total, between
6,000 and 16,000 Indonesians died
while casualties on the British side
were about 600 to 2000.

Reorientation Battle of Surabaya caused Indonesia Past Tense: caused,

to lose weaponry which hampered the hampered, provoked, made
country’s independence struggle.
who: Indonesian and
However, the battle provoked
international mass.
Indonesian and
what: Battle of Surabaya,
international mass to rally for the
weaponry, the country’s
country’s independence which made this
independence struggle, the
battle especially important for
battle, the country’s
Indonesian national revolution
independence, Indonesia
national revolution

Conjunction: however

Exercises
Task 1: Read the following incomplete sentences. Complete them with am/is/are (present) or
was/were (past).

1. In 1945, they 17, so they _ 85 now.

2. Today the weather cold, but last Monday it terribly hot.
3. I very thirsty. Can somebody give me a glass of water, please?
4. The defiant freedom fighters very brave. They fought till death to defend
the city.
5. I happy with Surabaya now. Years ago, it very dirty and messy.
6. Don’t buy those weapons. They dangerous and illegal.
7. Hey, I like your new hat. It fits you well, and when you wear it, it reminds me of the
1945 freedom fighters. it expensive?
8. This time seventy years ago my grandfather
in Surabaya joining the militia to fight against the British army.
 9. “Where the veterans?” “I don’t know. They in the lobby of the hotel five
minutes ago.”
10. The generals and the veterans happy and optimistic about us now. They know we
always busy with good activities and never think of using drugs. When we met them
last year, they pessimistic.

Task 2: Complete the text by using the correct form of the verb
in the bracket
1. During the presidential campaign, Abraham Lincoln (pledge) to abolish slavery
throughout the Nation.
2. The Dutch ……(bring) over Japanese and Indian workers to Suriname.
3. In 1770, English Lieutenant James Cook...(chart) the Australian east coast in his
ship, HM Barque Endeavour.
4. To ……(overcome) bankruptcy, the Dutch colonial government (implement) the
cultivation system or culturstelsel Dutch in Java in the mid19th century.
5. My friends didn’t go to cinema last night because they ... (see) a film the night
before.
6. Ani: What was Mrs. Rani doing in her garden this moring?
Lili: She ... (water) the plants
7. Santo: Why didn’t you go to Medan last year?
Kamto: we didn’t want to. We ... (go) there the previous year
8. The post office had unfortunately closed by the time he ... (get) there.
9. Lukman’s daughter had already finished eating dinner when he ... (drink) a cup of
coffee.
10. When my boss ...(come), we ...(sing) a birthday song.

Task 3
Arrange the jumbled sentences into a paragraph
11. I was sleeping in my hotel room when a loud noise woke me.
12. The sky was bright and lots of people were running.
13. I put on some clothes and ran towards the harbour, too.
14. I was on holiday in Barghouti, a small island in the South Pacific.
15. They were all running towards the harbour.
16. I ran to the window.
17. I was lucky that I had been saved.
18. On the day after I arrived, I had a terrible experience.
19. I managed to get on a ship.
20. The ship was just leaving when the lava hit the town.

Task 4
Look at the following text and determine the social function, the generic structure and the
language features, put them in the table shown below the text.

Last week, l went to the lake for fishing. It was the suitable time for fishing because I had
nothing to do in my holiday. I went there with my friends.
I woke up earlier in the morning and prepared everything. Not long after that, my friends
came and we went to the lake we have decided before to start fishing. Arriving at the lake, I
directly searched the best spot to get a giant fish. After searching for about ten minutes, finally I
found the spot. It was under the big tree at the bank of the lake. I threw my hook as far as I could
then I waited for the fish eating my bait. It had been 15 minutes and i finally saw the sign that
there was a fish eating my bait. I tried to pull it up and i succeeded. I got a three kilogram fish. I
was so excited. I threw the hook again and again. I got more than ten fish that day. I enjoyed the
moment so much that i didn’t realized that the sun had already set. I called my friends and we
went home.
I got so many fish that day even though i was so tired. I think i will visit the spot again in
the next holiday.

Generic structure The text Language Features

Orientation

Events

Reorientation

Task 5
Write a story about one of your experiences that it never forgets in your mind at least 50
words. It can be a funy story, a sad story, or a shame story in your life. Pay attention its
generic structure.