News Item

PURPOSE: to inform readers, listeners or viewers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Newsworthy Event(s) : recounts the event in summary form.
2. Background Events : Elaborate what happened, tell what caused the incident.
3. Sources : comments by participants in witnesses to and authorities expert on the event.

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline.
• Use of Material Processes to retell the event (in the text below, many of the Material Processes are nominalised)
• Use of projecting Verbal Processes in sources stage.
• Focus on Circumstances (e.g. mostly within Qualifiers).

Example of News Item/ Contoh News Item

Man Jailed for Striking RI Maid

Nesworthy event { SINGAPORE: A supervisor was jailed for two months repeatedly striking his Indonesian maid on the head and back with a television remote control, news reports said on Thursday.

Background Event 1 { Muhammad Shafiq Woon Abdullah admitted in a Singapore court he physically abused the woman on several occasions between June and October 2002, The Straits Times said.

Event 2 { The magistrate’s court heard that Shafiq, 31, began striking Winarti, 22, about a month after she atarted working for him.

Event 3 { He hit her on the head with the TV set’s remote control because he was unhappy with her work. On one occasion, he punched her on the back after accusing her of daydreaming.

Source { S.S Dhillon, Shafiq’s lawyer, said his client lost his “better sense” when he saw his daughter’s face covered as she lay in bed. He said his client thought the maid had put the child in danger.

Taken from: Singapore Strait Times 2004

Example/Contoh News Item lainnya:

Genre of Text

GENRE	PURPOSE	INFO
Narrative	To entertain/amuse the reader.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: sets the scene and introduces the participants. Evaluation: a stepping back to evaluate the plight. Complication: a crisis arises. Resolution: the crisis is resolved, for better or for worse. Re-orientation: optional. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Chronologically arranged
Recount	To retell events for the purpose of informing or entertaining.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: provides the setting and introduces participants Events: tell what happened, in what sequence. Re-orientation: optional-closure of events. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adjective
Spoof	To retell something funny for the purpose of entertaining.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: provides the setting and introduces participants Events: tell what happened, in what sequence. Twist: the funniest part of the text. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Past Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adverb 4. Chronologically arranged
Anecdote	To share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Abstract: signals the retelling of an unusual incident. Orientation: sets the scene. Crisis: provides details of the unusual incident Reaction: reaction to crises Coda: optional – reflection on or evaluation of the incident. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using exclamations, rhetorical question or intensifiers 2. Using material process 3. Using temporal conjunctions
News Item	To inform readers, listeners or viewers about events of the day which are considered newsworthy or important.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Newsworthy Event(s): recounts the event in summary form Background Events: elaborate what happened, to whom, in what circumstances. Sources: comments by participants in, witnesses to and authorizes expert on the event. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Short, telegraphic information about story captured in headline 2. Using action verbs 3. Using saying verbs 4. Using adverbs : time, place and manner.
Description	To describe a particular person, place or thing.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Identification: Identifies phenomenon to be described. Description: describes parts, qualities, characteristics. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using action verb 3. Using adverb 4. Using special technical terms
Report	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: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is. Description: tells what the phenomenon under discussion is like in terms of (l) parts, (2) qualities, (3) habits or behaviors, if living; uses, if non-natural LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Introducing group or general aspect 2. Using conditional logical connection 3. Using Simple Present Tense
Explanation	To explain the processes involved in the formation or workings of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.	GENERIC STRUCTURE A general statement to position the reader. A sequenced explanation of why or how something occurs. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using action verbs 3. Using passive voice 4. Using noun phrase 5. Using adverbial phrase 6. Using technical terms 7. Using general and abstract noun 8. Using conjunction of time and cause-effect.
Discussion	To present (at least) two points of view about an issue.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Issue Arguments for and against or Statement of differing points of view. Conclusion or Recommendation LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Use of relating verb/to be 3. Using thinking verb 4. Using general and abstract noun 5. Using conjunction/transition 6. Using modality 7. Using adverb of manner
Hortatory Exposition	To persuade the reader or listener that something should or should not be the case or be done.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Thesis: announcement of issue concern. Arguments: reasons for concern, leading to recommendation. Recommendation: statement of what ought or ought not to happen. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using Simple Present Tense 2. Using modals 3. Using action verbs 4. Using thinking verbs 5. Using adverbs 6. Using adjective 7. Using technical terms 8. Using general and abstract noun 9. Using connectives/transition
Analytical Exposition	To reveal the readers that something is the important case.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Thesis: Position: Introduces topic and indicates writer’s position. Preview: Outlines the main arguments to be presented. Arguments: Point: restates main arguments outlined in Preview. Elaboration: develops and supports each Point/argument Reiteration: restates writer’s position. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Using modals 2. Using action verbs 3. Using thinking verbs 4. Using adverbs 5. Using adjective 6. Using technical terms 7. Using general and abstract noun 8. Using connectives/transition
Review	To critique an art work, event for a public audience. Such works of art include movies, TV shows, books, plays, operas, recordings, exhibitions, concerts and ballets.	GENERIC STRUCTURE Orientation: places the work in its general and particular context, often by comparing it with others of its kind or through analogue with a non-art object or event. Interpretive Recount: summaries the plot and/or provides an account of how the reviewed rendition of the work came into being; is optional, but if present, often recursive. Evaluation: provides an evaluation of the work and/or its performance or production; is usually recursive. Evaluative Summation: provides a kind of punchline which sums up the reviewer’s opinion of the art event as a whole; is optional. LANGUAGE FEATURES: 1. Focus on specific participants 2. Using adjectives 3. Using long and complex clauses 4. Using metaphor