Explanation Text
Explanation text is a type of text in English that describes a process. Talking about the process, this text is almost the same as procedure text. However, if the procedure text describes how to do something (process), this text describes how a process occurs. That way, we can know that the explanation text serves to provide information to readers about a process.
Explanation Text Characteristics
✏ Using the Simple Present Tense
This text uses the Simple Present Tense because it describes facts.
✏ Using Action Verbs
Action Verbs are verbs used to describe an ongoing action. Examples are do, make, create, and so on.
✏ Using Passive Voices
The use of Passive Voices aims to emphasize the focus on the event that is taking place rather than the subject.
✏ Using Noun Phrases
✏ Using Technical Terms
These technical terms refer to technical terms related to the topics discussed in this text.
✏ Contains an explanation of the process
Generic Structure of Explanation Text
General Statement
Contains general information on topics to be discussed in the text.
Explanation
Contains a series of events (sequence of events) from a process which is the topic of the text. We can also explain by using the why and how questions, so that the explanation we convey is more comprehensive.
Closing
The closing or closing part is optional or does not have to be in this text. This section may contain additional information or the author's opinion on the topics discussed.
Example
Rainbow
Almost everyone really likes a natural phenomenon called a rainbow. To the extent that many people create works of art such as songs, cakes, and other works after seeing the beautiful colors of the rainbow. But do you know how the phenomenon of the rainbow appears?
Rainbows occur due to light refraction. The sunlight shining between the raindrops is refracted by the raindrops. This process separates white light from sunlight into a spectrum of different colors.
The color spectrum is red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and purple. Or what we often memorize as an acronym for “ROY G BIV / mejikuhibiniu.” Then the colors are reflected behind the raindrops, producing light that looks curved and becomes a rainbow.