Anecdote

PURPOSE
To share with others an account of an unusual or amusing incident.
Anecdote usually deals with something unexpected or out of the ordinary.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Abstract : signals the retelling of an unusual incident
2. Orientatiton : sets the scene (when and where)
3. Crisis: provides details of the unusual incident
4. Reaction: reaction to crisis
5. Coda (optional) : reflection on or evaluation of the incident

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Use of exclamations, rhetorical question and intensifiers (realy, very, quite, etc) to point up the significance of the events.
• Frequent use Simple Past Tense.
• Past continuous tense is sometimes used.
• Use of material processes/action verbs to tell what happened
• Use of exclamations (e.g. ‘guess what?!’ ; ‘I couldn’t believe it!’)
• Use of intensifiers (e.g. ‘really?!’; ‘very amazing’)
• Use of temporal conjunctions (e.g. and, then)

Example of Anecdote / Contoh Anecdote

A Boy or Girl?

Abstract 

A lot of boys and girls in Western countries are wearing the same kinds of clothes, and many of them have a long hair, so it is often difficult to tell whether they are boys or girls.

Orientation 

One day, an old gentleman went for a walk in a park in Washington, and when he was tired, he sad down on a bench. A young person was standing on the other side of the pond.

Crisis 

“My goodness”. The old man said to the person who was sitting next to him on a bench. “Do you see the person with the loose pants and long hair? Is it a boy or agirl?”. “A girl,” said his neighbour. “She’s my daughter.”

Reaction

“Oh!” the old man said quicly. “Please forgive me. “I didn’t know that you were her mother.”

Crisis

“I’m not,” said the other person. “I’m her father,” he added.

Coda

The old gentleman could say nothing to know the fact.

*resource

Example/Contoh Anecdote lebih banyak lagi:

Spoof

PURPOSE
retells an event with a humorous twist ; It is used to tell an odd and funny event based on the real life. Spoof is aimed at entertaining the readers and It is usually ended by an unexpected event (TWIST).

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Orientation (Pengenalan): who were involved in the story (the characters), when, and where
2. Events: tell what happened in chronological order
3. Twist (Unexpected Ending ; Funny) : provide the funniest part of the story

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Focus on person, animal, certain thing.
• Use of action verbs, e.g.: run, eat, etc.
• Using adverbs of time and place
• Use of Simple Past Tense
• The use of connectives (e.g. first. Then, finally etc)
• The use of adverbial phrases of time and place (e.g. in the garden, two days ago)
• Told in chronological order
• Action verbs/material processes (went, slept, ran, caught, arrived, bought, looked at) e.g. He went to the zoo; She was happy.
• Temporal sequence (on Friday, one day, at the beginning, in the end, first, then, next, before, later, finally, etc)

NOTES:
Material processes are verbs that show activities which can be seen, e.g. write, eat, walk etc
Material processes consist of DOING and HAPPENING.
DOING : create, make, build, develop, send, throw, strew, pour, dissolve etc
HAPPENING : move, fall, rise, come, go, soften, harden, melt etc

Example of Spoof / Contoh Spoof

Green, Pink and Yellow

Orientation:
Can you name the colors in English? Yes, you are right. They are blue, red, yellow, green, white, brown, purple, black and so on. I have a funny story about the colours. Do you want to know it? ok let me tell you.

Events:

One day, an English teacher talked about colours to his students. After he had been explaining, he asked his students, “Who can make a sentence using the word, Green, Pink and Yellow?”

James, the smartest student in the class quickly raised his hand and answered, “When the yellow morning Sun comes, I see a beautiful girl wearing a pink clothe walking through the green grass”.

“Excellent. James, you are a very good student” the teacher said.

Twist:

“Me, me Sir”. Johny, the lazy student in the class said while raising his hand. And then he said, “I heard telephone ringing green, green, then I pink up the receiver and I said, “Yellow, who is speaking there?

*resource

Example/Contoh Spoof lebih banyak lagi:

Review Text

PURPOSE
To critique an art work, event for a public audience.
Examples: work of arts include: movies, TV shows, books, plays, operas, recordings, exhibitions,
concerts and ballets

GENERIC STRUCTURE
Orientation:
Place 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:
Summarizes 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 (It can be more than one evaluation):
provides an evaluation of the work and/or its performance or production; is usually recursive
Evaluative summation (Summary):
provides a kind of punch line which sums up the reviewer’s opinion of the art event as a whole; is
optional.

LANGUAGE FEATURES:

• Focus on Particular Participants (Participant tertentu)
• Direct expression of options through use of Attitudinal Epithets in nominal groups; qualitative Attributes and Affective Mental Processes
• Use Adjectives showing attitude, e.g.: good, bad, etc.
• Use of long and complex clauses
• Use of metaphorical language (e.g., the wit was there, dexterously pingponged to and fro …)

Example of Review Text/ Contoh Review Text

In Persuit of Dreams

Orientation

Dreams, symbol, sighns, and adventure follow the reader like echoes of ancient wise voices “The Alchemist”, a novel that combines an atmosphere of Medieval mysticism with the song of the desert. With this symbolic masterpiece Coelho states that we should not avoid our destinies, and urges people to follow their dreams, because to find our “Personal Myth” and our mission on Earth is the way to find “God”, meaning happiness, fulfillment, and the ultimate purpose of creation.

Interpretative

Recount The novel tells the tale of Santiago, a boy who has adream and the courage to follow it. After listening to “the signs” the boy ventures in his personal, Ulysses-like journey of exploration and self-discovery, symbolically searching for a hidden treasure located near pyramids in Egypt.

When he decides to go, his father’s only advice is “Travel the world until you see that our castle is the greatest, and our women the most beautiful”. In his journey, Santiago sees the greatness of the world, and meets al kinds of exciting people like kings and alchemists. However by the end of the novel, he discovers that “treasure lies where your heart belong”, and that the treasure was the journey itself, the discoveries he made, and the wisdom he acquired.

Evaluation

“The Alchemist”, is an exciting novel that bursts with optimism; mit is the kind of novel that tells you that everything is possible as long as you really want it to happen. That may sound like an oversimplified version of new-age philosophy and mysticism, but as Coelho states “simple things are the most valuable and only wise people appreciate them”.

Coelho also suggests that those who do not have the courage to follow their “Personal Myth”, are doomed to a life of emtiness, misery, and unfulfillment. Fear of failure seems to be the greatest obstacle to happiness. As the old crystal-seller tragically confecess: “I am afraid that great disappointment awaits me, and so I prefer to dream”. This is where Coelho really captures the drama of man, who sacrifices fulfillment to conformity, who knows he can achieve greatness but denies to do so, and ends up living a life of void.

Evaluative summation

Summatio “The Alchemist” is a novel that may appeal to everybody, because we can all identify with Santiago: all of us has a dream, and are dying for somebody to tell us that they may come true. The novel skillfully combines words of wisdom, philosophy, and simplicity of meaning and language, which makes it particularly readable and accounts for its bestselling status.

Taken from bookreviews.nabou.com

Example/Contoh Review Text lainnya:

Explanation Text

PURPOSE
to explain the process involved in the information or workings of natural or sociocultural phenomena.

The writer's purpose is to explain how something works or state reasons for some phenomenon. Explanations answer the questions "how" or "why". There are two basic types of explanation which focus on:

• "How" (How does a pump work? How does a computer work? How are mountains formed? How does a spider spin a web?)

• "Why" (Why do some things float or sink? Why is the ozone layer getting thinner? Why does iron go rusty? Why do living things need food?)

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. General statement: stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.
2. Sequenced Explanation: stating a series of steps which explain of why or how something occurs.

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• focus on generic, non human Participants.
• use mainly of Material and Relational Processes.
• use mainly of temporal and causal Circumtenses and Conjunctions.
• some use of Passive voice to get Theme right. written in the 'timeless' present tense (are, turns, happens)
• use of action verbs (falls, rises, changes)
• use of non-human participants (the sea, the mountains, the computers, the engine)
• conjunctions (when, then, first, after this so)
• some passives (is saturated, are changed)
• use of nouns tends to be general rather than specific (cars, boats, spiders, schools)
• use of pronouns (their, they, them)

Example of Explanation Text / Contoh Explanation Text

Tsunami

General Statement:
A tsunami is a very large sea wave that is generated by a disturbance along the ocean floor. This disturbance can be an earthquake, a landslide, or a volcanic eruption. A tsunami is undetectable far out in the ocean, but once it reaches shallow water, this fast-traveling wave grows very large.

Explanation:
Tsunamis occur when a major fault under the ocean floor suddenly slips. The displaced rock pushes water above it like a giant paddle, producing powerful water waves at the ocean surface. The ocean waves spread out from the vicinity of the earthquake source and move across the ocean until they reach the coastline, where their height increases as they reach the continental shelf, the part of the Earth’s crust that slopes, or rises, from the ocean floor up to the land.

Closing:
Tsunamis wash ashore with often disastrous effects such as severe flooding, loss of lives due to drowning, and damage to property.

*resource

Example/Contoh Explanation Text lainnya:

Analytical Exposition

PURPOSE: To persuade the readers/listeners that something is the case.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Thesis : Introduces the topic and shows speaker or writer’s position; Outlines of the arguments are presented.
2. Arguments : It consists about Point and Elaboration;
Point ➜ states the main argument
Elaboration ➜ develops and supports each point of argument
3. Conclusion : Reiteration (restatement), restates speaker or writer’s position

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Focus on generic human and non-human participants, e.g.: car, pollution, leaded petrol car
• Use abstract noun, e.g.: policy, government
• Use of relational processes, e.g.: It is important
• Modal verbs, e.g.: we must preserve
• Modal adverbs, e.g.: certainly we
• Connective or Use of internal conjunction to state argument, (e.g.: first, secondly, then, finally)
• Evaluative language, (e.g.: important, valuable, trustworthy, etc.)
• Giving reasons through causal conjunction (e.g.: so, thus, therefore, however, hence)
• Use of present tense
• Passive sentence

Example of Analytical Exposition / Contoh Analytical Exposition

SAMPLE.1.

The Importance of English

Thesis { I personally think that English is the world’s most important language. Why do I say that?

Argument 1 { Firstly, English is an international language. It is spoken by many people all around the world, either as a first or second language.

Argument 2 { Secondly, English is also the key which opens doors to scientific and technical knowledge, which is needed for the economic and political development of many countries in the world.

Argument 3 { Thirdly, English is a top requirement of those seeking jobs. Applicants who master either active or passive English are more favorable than those who do not.

Conclusion { From the fact above, it is obvious that everybody needs to learn English to greet the global era.

SAMPLE.2.

Corruption and Indonesian Culture

Thesis:
Corruption has happened for many years and today it becomes a bad culture in Indonesia for three reasons
Argument 1:
Most adult Indonesian or foreigners have known and admitted that corruptions happen in many places. The daily newspapers, news programs on TV and radio have reported corruptions are done everywhere, almost in all departments or public services of this country. Corruptions happen in health, education departments and banks. When we manage to get some documents in public service offices, we usually need much money to pay. Manipulations happen everywhere
Argument 2:
The actions to eliminate corruption are weak. The ever stronger culture seems not to come to an end when the responsible institutions who have to reinforce the justice today commit corruption. This is the worst. Corruptions happen in police department, courts where judges, public prosecutors, lawyers make deals to do corruption. All of us also heard in the end of 2004, Probosutejo reported that he had bribed the Supreme Court, or called Mahkamah Agung which becomes the highest level where the justice can be obtained. Perhaps you have to try to come to the local courts and see what happen there. You will see practices of bribery and other kinds of corruption. Therefore, we can say that corruptions becomes our culture. Do you like it?
Argument 3:
The citizens have no goodwill to fight against the corruption. They create the situations in which people have opportunities to do corruptions. The citizens like to break the rules because they are not disciplined. For example, in the street when they drive a car or ride motorcycle, they do not have the driving license or necessary documents. Then, they are caught by the local policemen. To avoid more difficulties, they like to bribe the officer. The officer let them go then. In other words, the citizens and officers are the same, doing corruption together. If only the people were critical, disciplined, and obey the rules, and willing to report any wrong behaviors, this country will not be number one corrupting country in the world.
Reiteration/ conclusion:
Conclusion Based on the reasons, we can conclude that corruption is becoming a bad culture in Indonesia if it is not ended soon by all of us. It seems that there must be more severe penalty for the Corruptors. Do we still care about the future of this country?
More information:

1. Emotive language adds strong description to the facts and so help to create an extremely subjective tone of the text. It plays a role in persuading the readers toward the writer’s opinion e.g. Most adult Indonesian,


2. Evaluative language is another way to persuade people agree with the writer’s opinion e.g. This is the worst, It’s true, It’s important, It’s clear, I believe, It is obvious that etc.

Example/Contoh Analytical Exposition lainnya:

Hortatory Exposition

PURPOSE: to explain the listeners or readers that something should or should not happen or be done.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Thesis : Statement or announcement of issue concern
2. Arguments : Reasons for concern that will lead to recommendation
3. Recommendation : Statement of what should or should not happen or be done based on the given arguments

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• focus on generic human and non human participants, except for speaker or writer referring to self.
• use of mental processes. It is used to state what the writer or speaker thinks or feels about something. (e.g.: realize, feel etc.)
• often needs material processes. It is used to state what happens, (e.g. ….has polluted… etc.)
• usually uses Simple Present Tense and Present Perfect Tense.
• Enumeration is sometimes necessary to show the list of given arguments: Firstly, secondly …, Finally, etc.

Example of Hortatory Exposition / Contoh HortatoryExposition

SAMPLE.1.

A Campaign of the Importance of Reading

Thesis:

Reading habit is poor among Indonesians because most people haven’t realized the importance of reading

Argument 1

Reading is important to transform knowledge and technology. By reading, one knows the world. He or she will understand what he doesn’t see by himself or herself. The lines of the paragraphs in an article contain pieces of knowledge. The knowledge is needed to improve the quality of human’s life. Technology transformation from other country can only be done by reading a lot various sources of literature. Valuable books in libraries and bookstores mean nothing if they are not read.

Argument 2

Realizing the importance of reading will make someone motivated to read. When we know that something is very important because it can give us valuable information, we will try to get or do the thing. For example, a businessman who always follows latest information or news, will know what to do in his/ her business. He will make a good decision to make a transaction. Most people in all developed countries have realized the importance or reading and they have good reading habits. In bus and train stations, vehicles, waiting rooms, parks, people like reading. They enjoy reading which gives them valuable knowledge and inspiration.

Argument 3

A good understanding toward the importance of reading can be achieved by well organized and effective campaign. To plant an understanding in a generation’s minds is not an easy job. It needs a hard work from all components of the nation, especially the government. A serious campaign which is organized by the central and local government can help common people wake up and stand to face the real competition. The campaign can be done through various kinds of mass media such as TV, radio, booklets, bulletins, newspapers, magazines. It can also be conducted by teachers, parents and all people who care.

Recommendation

Therefore, a nation-wide effective campaign of the importance of reading by all components of the nation should be done, facilitated by the government, to face the tighter competition. The world has forced globalization. Those people with little knowledge will be left behind. To speed up the better change in this country, a good reading habit is really important.

SAMPLE.2.

Corruption

Thesis

Do you know what the meaning of corruption is? What is the relation between money and corruption? Well, corruption is common everywhere in the world, even in the United States. It’s just a matter of intensity. However, it is quite shocking when one reliable survey claims Jakarta as the most corrupt place in Indonesia.

Argument 1

The survey has made me sad, actually, because I stay and earn a living here in the capital. As most people know, Tanjung Priok port smuggling is not a new thing at all. Entrepreneurs who want to minimize their tax payments tend to do such a thing more often. They even bribe the officials.

Argument 2

Well, I think the measures taken so far to overcome the problem by punishing the corruptors is still not far enough. We have to prevent the younger generations from getting a bad mentality caused by corruption.

Recommendation

I believe we should start at the earliest stages in school and I think everyone should be involved in the effort to eradicate corruption. We must not make any distinction.

Example/Contoh Hortatory Exposition lainnya:

*resource

Discussion Text

PURPOSE
to present (at least) two points of view about an issue.

GENERIC STRUCTURE
1. Issue:
✔ Statement
✔ Preview
2. Arguments for and against or statement of differing points of view.
✔ Point
✔ Ellaboration
3. Conclusion or Recommendation.

LANGUAGE FEATURES

• Focus on generic human and generic non-human participants.
• Use of Material Processes, e.g., has produced, have developed, to feed.
• Use of Relational Processes, e.g., is, could have, cause, are.
• Use of Mental Processes, e.g., feel.
• Use of comparative: Contrastive and Consequential conjunctions to relate argument, e.g.: similarly, on the other hand, however, etc
• Adverb of Manner: hopefully, deliberately
• Detailed noun group, like: the dumping of unwanted kittens, etc.

Example of Discussion Text / Contoh Discussion Text:


SAMPLE.1.

The Advantage and Disadvantage of Nuclear Power

Nuclear power is generated by using uranium which is a metal mined in various part of the world. The first large scale of nuclear power station was opened at Calder Hall in Cumbria, England in 1956.

Some military ships and submarines have nuclear power plant for engine. Nuclear power produces around 11% of the world's energy needed, and produces huge amounts of energy. It cause no pollution as we would get when burning fossil fuels. The advantages of nuclear plant are as follow:

• It costs about the same coal, so it is not expansive to make.
• It does not produce smoke or carbon dioxide, so it does not contribute to the greenhouse effect.
• It produces huge amounts of energy from small amount of uranium.
• It produces small amount of waste.
• It is reliable.

On the other hand, nuclear power is very, very dangerous. It must be sealed up and buried for many years to allow the radioactivity to die away. Furthermore, although it is reliable, a lot of money has to be spent on safety because if it does go wrong, a nuclear accident ca be a major accident.

People are increasingly concerned about this matter. In the 1990's nuclear power was the fastest growing source of power in many parts of the world.

SAMPLE.2.

Is Homework Necessary?

Issue

I have been wondering if homework is necessary.

Argument

Supported Point

I think we should have homework because it helps us to learn and revise or work.

Homework helps people who aren’t very smart to remember what they have learned. Homework is really good because it helps with our education.

Statement of different point of view/Contradicted idea:

But, my times, doing homework is not a great idea. I think we shouldn’t have homework because sometime the student must have their free time and enjoying them.

Sometimes homework is boring and not important. I think homework is bad if the teacher gives too many homeworks, and it made the student stressed.

Conclusion/Recommendation

As you can see, homework has negative effects and positive effect on the student today. Homework helps the student remind the lessons that given by the teacher, but I think homework should be given on weekend and with enough amount (not too many homework), so the students won't feel stressed.

Example/Contoh Discussion Text lainnya: