NARRATIVE
Narrative Text is the text that contains about a story or fairy tale (could be folklore (Folktale), animal story (Fable), Legends (legend), short stories, etc.). Inside there is a conflict / top issue, followed by the settlement. The main function of this text is to entertain readers.
Generic Structure:
Orientation - Complication - Evaluation (optional) - Resolution
-Orientation:
introduction of characters, place and time of the story (who or what, when and where)
-Complication:
Contains the top issues / conflicts in the story. A story can have more than one complication.
-Evaluation:
This is optional (there may be not), usually used to make the story more interesting.
-Resolution:
Solving problems. Could end in joy (happy ending) could also end up with sadness (sad ending).
Example of narrative text :
Malin Kundang
A long time ago, in a small village near the beach in
Malin Kundang was a healthy, dilligent, and strong boy. He usually went to sea to catch fish. After getting fish he would bring it to his mother, or sold the caught fish in the town. (Orientation)
One day, when Malin Kundang was sailing, he saw a merchant's ship which was being raided by a small band of pirates. He helped the merchant. With his brave and power, Malin Kundang defeated the pirates. The merchant was so happy and thanked to him. In return the merchant asked Malin Kundang to sail with him. To get a better life, Malin Kundang agreed. He left his mother alone.
Many years later, Malin Kundang became wealthy. He had a huge ship and was helped by many ship crews loading trading goods. Perfectly he had a beautiful wife too. When he was sailing his trading journey, his ship landed on a beach near a small village. The villagers recognized him. The news ran fast in the town; “Malin Kundang has become rich and now he is here”.
An old woman ran to the beach to meet the new rich merchant. She was Malin Kundang’s mother. She wanted to hug him, released her sadness of being lonely after so long time. Unfortunately, when the mother came, Malin Kundang who was in front of his well dressed wife and his ship crews denied meeting that old lonely woman. For three times her mother begged Malin Kundang and for three times he yelled at her. At last Malin Kundang said to her "Enough, old woman! I have never had a mother like you, a dirty and ugly woman!" After that he ordered his crews to set sail. He would leave the old mother again but in that time she was full of both sadness and angriness. (Complication)
Finally, enraged, she cursed Malin Kundang that he would turn into a stone if he didn't apologize. Malin Kundang just laughed and really set sail.
In the quiet sea, suddenly a thunderstorm came. His huge ship was wrecked and it was too late for Malin Kundang to apologize. He was thrown by the wave out of his ship. He fell on a small island. It was really too late for him to avoid his curse. Suddenly, he turned into a stone. (Resolution)
PROCEDURE
Procedure text is the text contents of the step how to make or do something.
Generic Structure: Aim / Goal - Materials - Steps
- Aim / Goal (goal), there is the title
- Materials (materials and equipment)
- Steps (steps)
Linguistic characteristics of this text are as follows:
-Tenses used is Simple Present
-Patterns sentence dominant imperative sentences (commands) such as: Do not, cut,mix,stir,pour,and so on,which all these words are action verb.
-Connectives used to sort events or action-action that there like: then,while,the next,after,etc.
-There is also detailed Adverbials to express time,place,how accurate,for example,for two minutes,two centimeters from the top,etc.
Example of procedure text
How to charge hand phone battery
Prepare your :
- hand phone
- battery charger
Steps :
1. Connect the charger to your hand phone, the flash symbol on the charger plug must face upward.
2. Wait until the battery icon appears on the screen.
3. Charge the battery approximately 5 hours or until the battery icon indicates that the battery is fully charged.
4. Remove the charger by pulling out from your hand phone.
RECOUNT
Recount is a text that conveys a series of events / events / experiences that happened in the past. Sometimes Recount also intend to entertain readers.
Generic structure:
Orientation - event (s) - reorientation.
The purpose of the event (s) is that the event is happening can be more than one, while the Reorientation is optional (there may be not).
Always used tenses Past Tense because recount tells the events that happened in the past.
Example of recount text
One day I was setting in the local library, I started to read a medical encyclopedia that was lying on the table in front of me. The first illness I read about was cholera. As I read the list of symptoms, it occurred to me that perhaps I had cholera myself. I sat for a while, too frightened to move.
Then, in a kind of dream, I started to turn the pages of the book again. I came to malaria. Yes, there was no doubt about it – I had malaria too. And I certainly had hepatitis. And yellow fever. And so it went on. I read through the whole book, and by the end I came to the conclusion that I had every illness. There was only one illness I didn’t have – and that was housemaid’s knee.
I sat and thought, and I became more and more worried. I wondered how long I had to live. I examined myself. I felt my pulse. At first, I couldn’t find it at all; then, suddenly it seems start off. I looked at my watch to time it – it was beating 147 times a minute. I tried to feel my heart. I couldn’t feel it. It wasn’t beating. I stuck my tongue out and tried to look at it. I could only see the end of it, but from that I was even more certain than before that I had yellow fever.
I went straight to my doctor, who was a good friend of mine. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked. “I have every illness in the medical encyclopedia.” I told him how I read the medical encyclopedia. Then he opened my mouth and looked at my tongue, and he felt mu pulse, and he listened to my heart. Then he sat down and wrote a prescription. It said:
- 3 good meals every day
- A two-mile walk every day morning
- Be in bed at 11 o’clock every night
- Don’t read medical books!
I followed the doctor’s instructions, and I am happy to say that I now feel quite well again.
REPORT
Report content is text that describes something of what it is as a result of systematic observation or analysis. Therefore, before you write a text report, you must make systematic observations. What you describe could include natural phenomena, environment, human-made objects, or social phenomena.
The function of report text is to describe the way things are, with reference to a range of natural, man made and social phenomena in our environment.
Generic Structure
General Classification - Description.
General classification: tells what the phenomenon under disccusion is.
Description: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is like in terms of (1) parts, (2) qualities, (3) habits or behaviours, if living ;uses, if non natural.
Significant Lexicogrammatical Features
-Use Simple Present Tense
-Focus on generic participants
-Use of relational processes to state what is and that which it is
-No temporal sequence
Example report text :
What are Clouds?
Clouds are water vapour condensed into minute water particles which float in masses in the atmosphere. There are three main types of clouds, classified according to the height at which they occur. Clouds were first named by the English chemist Luke Howard in 1803, a pioneer of meteorology. The types he named were cirrus, cumulus, and stratus. (General Classification)
Cirrus clouds are usually hogh and appear as delicate whitish threads against a blue sky. Because of their height, they are composed of ice crystals and not of water aroplets.
Cumulus clouds typically have a rounded appearance and sometimes areach 20.000 feet into the sky. They are often characterized by having an anvil shape in the centre of the cloud.
Stratus clouds are layers of cloud which can form at any height and tend to cover the whole sky. Often the sky is overcast and the sun is probably completely concealed. (Description)
This is the basic grouping of types clouds. The ever-changing formations are an important aspect of meteorology and clouds can be further described in many ways. (Conclusion)
DESCRIPTIVE
Descriptive text is text whose contents describing something / someone specific.
Generic Structure:
Identification – description
-Identification:
contains the identification of topics that will be described
-Description:
contains detailed descriptions of the parts, such as about physical appearance (physical characteristics), their properties (characteristics),etc.
Tenses used is Present tense.
Example of Decriptive Text
Trikora is a name of famous beach in Tanjungpinang,Kepulauan Riau. This beach is very beautiful and romantic, people around Tanjungpinang often to go to this beach when holidays come. (Identification)
This place located around 20 kilometers from the center of town in Tanjungpinang. We can go there by our own vehicles and about 30 minutes we can reach this beach.
The white sandy beach which has pure water is good for swimming. The beach is save enough for swimming because the beach is shallow and the wave is not so big. This place is more beautiful at dusk. We can see the beautiful sunset with our family or friends. In this location, we can sit and relax on the shelter while enjoy the natural beach breezy wind. Scouts in around of Tanjungpinang often to have a camping in this beach.
So, come and visit this beautiful beach. You will find an amazing scene like an paradise. (Description)
ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION
The function of this text is to persuade the reader or listener that something is the case.
Generic Structure:
Thesis-Arguments-Reiteration
-Thesis
Position: introduces topic and indicates writer’s position.
Preview: outlines the main arguments to be presented.
-Arguments
Point: restates main arguments outlines in preview.
Elaboration: developes and supports each point/argument.
-Reiteration: restates writer’s position.
Significant Lexicogrammatical features
-Focus on generic human and non-human participants
-use simple present tense
-Use of relational processes
-Use of internal conjuction to state argument
-Reasoning through causal conjuction or nominalization.
Example of analytical exposition
Hand-held Computer Games
My name is Thomas Park. I attend
Firstly, if thew were banned, just imagine how many unhappy and lonely teenagers there would be. You can play with hand-held computer games at recess with your friends. Moreover, they can help you make new friends. So, the games encourage students mix with one another.
Secondly, hand-held computer games don’t interfere with our schoolwork. Yes, occasionally students would get caught playing with them in class. However, if there are proper rules and punishments, this can be kept under control.
Lastly, these games develop our hand-eye coordination. They’re quiet and so are not distracting! Therefore, I can’t see why teachers would object to this! (Arguments)
My argument is conclusive ; hand-held computers at school are harmless. Moreover, they are fun, help you make friends, can be controlled, and are good for us. Therefore, don’t ban hand-held computer games! (Reiteration)
SPOOF TEXT
The social function of spoof is to retell events for the purpose of informing or intertaining.
Generic Structure:
Orientation-Events-ReOrientation
-Orientation
Provides the setting and introduces participants.
-Events:
Tell what happened, in what sequences
-Re-orientation:
Optional-closure of events
Significant Lexicogrammatical features
-Focus on specific participants
-Use of material processes
-Circumstances of time and place
-Use of Past Tense
-Focus on temporal sequences
Example of Spoof Text
A Bumply Flight
“This is your captain speaking. We have had a failure in one of our engines. There is no cause for alarms as we still have three engines left. Unfortunately, this means that we’ll be one hour late.” (Orientation)
A short time later the captain again spoke to the passengers: “There is no cause for alarm, but we have just lost another engine. We’ll now be two hours late.”
When the captain spoke to the passangers for the third time, he again had bad news. “Ladies and gentlemen, I assure you that we’re in no danger, but I must inform you that we’ve had another engine failure. This means that we’ll now be three hours late.”
Finally, the captain announced that the fourth engine has failed. (Events)
One of the passengers turned to another passenger and said: “Oh no! That means we’ll be four hours late!” (Twist)
