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Explanation Text: One of The Main Things That Makes It Different From Instruction Is The Focus On CAUSE and EFFECT

Explanation text is a complex form of writing that focuses on the cause and effect of processes or sequences of activity. It typically includes a general statement, a series of explanatory statements, and a conclusion, and can be found in various formats such as textbooks and manuals. Key language features include the use of present tense, passive voice, and technical vocabulary to clarify how and why things happen.

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Mohamed Gouda
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14 views20 pages

Explanation Text: One of The Main Things That Makes It Different From Instruction Is The Focus On CAUSE and EFFECT

Explanation text is a complex form of writing that focuses on the cause and effect of processes or sequences of activity. It typically includes a general statement, a series of explanatory statements, and a conclusion, and can be found in various formats such as textbooks and manuals. Key language features include the use of present tense, passive voice, and technical vocabulary to clarify how and why things happen.

Uploaded by

Mohamed Gouda
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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EXPLANATION TEXT

is kind of text which is more complex than instructions.


It is usually used to explain processes or sequences of
activity. One of the main things that makes it different
from instruction is the focus on CAUSE and EFFECT. It
is one thing to describe what you see when you watch a
scientific process or experiment, but another thing to
make and to speculate about how one thing has led to
another.
There are two types of explanation:

� Why do things happen?


� How do things work?
WHY DO THINGS HAPPEN?
Why did we go to war in 1939?
Why does the moon seem to change shape?
Why do we pay tax?
Why was there an earthquake in Haiti?
Why do we count in the way we do?
Why are there 60 seconds in 1 minute?
HOW DO THINGS WORK?
How does a plane fly?
How does a car engine work?
How does a pigeon find its way home?
How do you fly a hot air balloon?
How is honey made?
How do they print bank notes?
*Social Function

to explain the process involved


in the formation and working of
natural or socio-cultural
phenomena

Explanation Text
GENERIC STRUCTURES
A general statement to position the reader
It describes or identifies the phenomenon
A sequence of explanations of why or how something occurs
They tell how or why the feature or process
changes.
Closing /Concluding
Words should Statement
show Cause (Optional)
and Effect or Time
It sums up the explanation and talks about its
application; may also give examples
General Lay Out:
INTRODUCTION (general statement about the topic)
EXPLANATION (series of explanatory statements)
Statements are written in sequential order to explain
HOW something works what it is used for
how the parts work together
what each part does
how to use it
WHY something happens how and why it starts
what happens next, why
what happens after that, why
what happens finally, why
CONCLUSION (summary or comment)
A summary or recommendation
A general comment about use or history
Explanations Texts can be found in:

Text-books
guides and manuals
History books
(LANGUAGE FEATURES)*

Focus on non-human participants


Use mainly of material and relational processes
Use mainly of temporal and causal circumstances and conjunctions
Some use passive voice to get it right
Use technical words and noun phrases
Use action verbs and impersonal style
Use the present tense, except for events in history
Use paragraphs to give different reasons in process
sample:

let’s analyze this one ….


How Kites Fly?

A kite is an object made from a light


material stretched over a frame. When
a kite is tilted into the wind it will lift off
the ground and fly. *material process
*non human participant
*temporal and causal circumstances

INTRODUCTION
A kite uses wind to make it fly because it is heavier than air.
�different paragraph to state reasons in process

Wind travelling over the surface of the kite is split into two streams of
air. One stream of air goes over the kite while the second stream of air
goes under the kite.
*action verb *passive voice

The upper stream creates an area of low pressure above the kite. The
lower stream hits it at a shallow angle and creates an area of high
pressure.
*noun phrase *impersonal style *technical words
The high pressure area has a pushing effect while the low pressure area
has a pulling effect. The combination of push and pull creates enough
force to lift it into the air. *present tense

BODY
* conjunction

Kites have been around for thousands of years


and are used for military or scientific purposes
and for leisure.

�parallel
structure
* passive voice

* complex sentence

CONCLUSION
Conclusion of
Presentation:
Explanation text is usually used to explain processes or sequences of activity.
One of the main things that make it different from instruction is the focus on
CAUSE and EFFECT.
It is part of descriptive text, with generic structures: general statement,
sequence of explanation and conclusion.
Its function is to explain the process involved in the formation and working of
natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
This text has several dominant language features, such as: simple present tense,
passive voice, cause-effect conjunctions, etc. as have been revealed previously.
By teaching this text, hopefully leads the students to understand various kinds of
texts presented and written in English as applicable passages which are found in
students’ daily lives.
Introduction is supposed
� Make it interesting
� Question
� Complex sentence
� Make it informative
� Writeabout something you
know about
Body of Paragraph is supposed
� New paragraph for each point
� Conjunction linking (and, but, or so...)
� Conjunction binding (due to, because, ...)
� Temporal conjunction (after, when, ...)
� Make it logic
� Give explanations that are concise, full,
logical and appropriate
Conclusion is supposed
� Make a summary/recommendation

� Give example/application

then, how to teach it attractively?


e-teaching: Will the internet help the rainforest survive?
Will you be surfing the internet today? If you are going to log on today, please take about one
general
statement minute to click a couple of times to help protect the rainforest. Your clicks will not cost you
anything, but they are going to help save the rainforest that provides many benefits to us human
and to other animals.
sequence of This is how it works. Nowadays, there are many ‘Click to Donate’ sites on the internet. No doubt,
explanations more will be set up because it is a great idea. The way ‘Click to Donate’ sites work is simple. To
explain, we will look at how The Rainforest Site works.
You go to the website by typing in the URL http://www.therainforestsite.com. The homepage
will appear. If you save this as one of your Favorites, you will never need to type the URL again.
Then, you click a button that says ‘Donate Land – Free’. When you click that button, another
screen is going to appear. On that screen you will see boxes with the logos of companies that
contribute money to buy land in the rainforest. If you click on one of the logos, you will go to the
website of that company. However, this is completely voluntary. The money will be donated
whether or not you click on the companies’ logos.
conclusion You can only click once a day. If you click more often, your other clicks will not be counted. The
funds raised from your clicks go to an organization called The Nature Conservancy. This
organization buys land in rainforests and works to protect that land. We use internet a lot and
try to click on The Rainforest Site every day. Will you join us, please?
Features of Explanation Writing

Does it have a title to tell you what the writing is about?


EXPLANATION
Is there a general opening statement?
CHECKLIST:

Is it written in a series of logical steps?

Do the steps continue until the explanation is complete?

Is it written in simple present tense?


Does it use time connectives?
e.g. then, next, after a while, etc.
Does it use causal connectives?
e.g. because, so, this causes, this results in, therefore… etc.
Are there diagrams or illustrations to help with the
explanation? (Optional)

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