A. The Differences between Report and Descriptive Text
Some
text types are quite difficult to differ. Such report and descriptive text have
the similarity in the social function and generic structure. However if they are
analyzed carefully, the slight difference between the two text types will
reveal.
The
purpose of the two texts are to give the live-description of the
object/participant. Both the report and descriptive text try to show rather
than tell the reader about the factual condition of the object. Readers by
themselves will catch the impressive point of the object through that showing
writing style. What make different, between report and descriptive text, is the
scope of the written object. If we talk about, eg: bicycle, it belongs to
report text. It will talk about bicycle in general; its parts, physical
strengh, function for certain people or other general characters of bike. In
the other hand, descriptive text will convey more focus, for example "my
bicycle" with its specific characters; colour, lengh, wheel style, etc.
In
short, report text describes the way of certain things and frequently refer to
phenomenon of nature, animal and scientific object. Mostly, report is written
after getting careful observation. This scientific and technical sense make
clearer difference from descriptive text. The way of descriptive text in
showing thing is based on the objective fact of the thing. It describe the
specific thing simply as the thing is.
B. Between Explanation and Procedure Text
Seeing
the social function, both procedure and explanation texts have the similarity
in which both describe how to make or done something. They give the detail
description on something, phenomena, goods, product case or problem.
To
see the differences
between explanation and procedure, we have to analyze the dominant language feature
and how the texts are used.
Procedure,
this text type is commonly called as instruction text. It uses pattern of
commend in building the structure. It use the “to infinitive verb” which is
omitted the “to”. It is a kind of instruction text which uses full commend
verb. Procedure is commonly used to describe how to make something which is
close to our daily activity. For example how to make a cup of tea, how to make
a good kite, etc is the best example of the procedure text. It is such word;
first boil water, secondly prepare the cup, and so on.
Explanation,
it is commonly used the passive voice in building the text. Explanation is such
a scientific written material. It describes how certain phenomenon or event
happen. How a tornado form, how tsunami works are the best example of
explanation text. It uses passive pattern in describing the topic.
C. Between Recount and Narrative
Something
which happened in the past is the main resource to compose both recount and
narrative text. In writer's point of view, the thing is an experience. It can
be what the writer has done, hear, read, and felt. Composing recount and
narrative is retelling the experiences of the past event to be a present event.
What
does recount differ from narrative?
The
easiest way to catch the difference is analyzing the generic structure. Recount
text presents the past experiences in order of time or place; what happened on
Sunday, then on Monday, the on Tuesday. In simple way, recount describes series
of events in detail. It does not expose the struggle on how to make them
happen. The event happened smoothly. On the other hand, narrative introduces
crises and how to solve them. Narrative text always appear as a hard potrait of
participant's past experience. It reveals the conflict among the participants.
Cinderella's conflicts with her step mother and sister are the example. The
conflict is the most important element in a narrative text. Narrative without
comflicts is not narrative any more.
D. Between Explanation and Procedure Text
Seeing
the social function, both procedure and explanation texts have the similarity
in which both describe how to make or done something. They give the detail description
on something, phenomena, goods, product case or problem.
To
see the differences
between explanation and procedure, we have to analyze the dominant language
feature and how the texts are used.
Procedure,
this text type is commonly called as instruction text. It uses pattern of
commend in building the structure. It use the “to infinitive verb” which is
omitted the “to”. It is a kind of instruction text which uses full commend
verb. Procedure is commonly used to describe how to make something which is
close to our daily activity. For example how to make a cup of tea, how to make
a good kite, etc is the best example of the procedure text. It is such word;
first boil water, secondly prepare the cup, and so on.
Explanation,
it is commonly used the passive voice in building the text. Explanation is such
a scientific written material. It describes how certain phenomenon or event
happen. How a tornado form, how tsunami works are the best example of
explanation text. It uses passive pattern in describing the topic.
Based
on generic structure and language feature dominantly used, texts are divided
into several types. They are narrative, recount, descriptive, report,
explanation, analytical exposition, hortatory exposition, procedure,
discussion, review, anecdote, spoof, and news item. These variations are known
as GENRES.
|
2.
Anecdote
3.
Descriptive
4.
Narrative
5.
Procedure
6.
News Items
7.
Discussion
|
8.
Explanation
10.
Report
11.
Spoof
12.
Recount
13.
Review
|
a)
ANALYTICAL EXPOSITION
Purpose: To reveal the readers that
something is the important case
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Reiteration/Conclusion
Dominant 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
b)
ANECDOTE
Purpose: to share with others an
account of an unusual or amusing incident
Generic Structure:
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Reaction
5. Coda.
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using exclamations, rhetorical
question or intensifiers
2. Using material process
3. Using temporal conjunctions
c)
DESCRIPTIVE
Purpose: To explain the processes
involved in the formation or working of natural or socio-cultural phenomena.
Generic Structure:
1. General statement
2. Explanation
3. Closing
Dominant 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.
d)
NARRATIVE
Purpose: To amuse/entertain the readers
and to tell a story
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Evaluation
3. Complication
4. Resolution
5. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Chronologically arranged
e)
PROCEDURE
Purpose: to help readers how to do or
make something completely
Generic Structure:
1. Goal/Aim
2. Materials/Equipments
3. Steps/Methods
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using Imperatives sentence
3. Using adverb
4. Using technical terms
f)
NEWS ITEM
Purpose: to inform readers about events
of the day which are considered newsworthy or important
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Newsworthy event(s)
2. Background event(s)
3. Sources
Dominant 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.
g)
DISCUSSION
Purpose: to present information and
opinions about issues in more one side of an issue (‘For/Pros’ and
‘Against/Cons’)
Generic Structure:
1. Issue
2. Arguments for and against
3. Conclusion
Dominant 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
h)
EXPLANATION
Purpose: to describe a particular
person, place or thing in detail.
Dominant Generic Structure:
1. Identification
2. Description
Language Features:
1. Using Simple Present Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Using special technical terms
i)
HORTATORY EXPOSITION
Purpose: to persuade the readers that
something should or should not be the case or be done
Generic Structure:
1. Thesis
2. Arguments
3. Recommendation
Dominant 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
Then what is the basic difference
between analytical and hortatory exposition. In simple word. Analytical is the
answer of "How is/will" while hortatory is the answer of "How
should". Analytical exposition will be best to describe "How will
student do for his examination? The point is the important thing to do. But for
the question" How should student do for his exam?" will be good to be
answered with hortatory. It is to convince that the thing should be done
j)
REPORT
Purpose: to presents information about
something, as it is.
Generic Structure
1. General classification
2. Description
Dominant Language Feature
1. Introducing group or general aspect
2. Using conditional logical connection
3. Using Simple Present Tense
k)
SPOOF
Purpose: to tell an event with a
humorous twist and entertain the readers
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Twist
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adverb
4. Chronologically arranged
l)
RECOUNT
Purpose: to retell something that
happened in the past and to tell a series of past event
Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Event(s)
3. Reorientation
Dominant Language Features:
1. Using Past Tense
2. Using action verb
3. Using adjectives
Narrative and recount in some ways are
similar. Both are telling something in the past so narrative and recount
usually apply PAST TENSE; whether Simple Past Tense, Simple Past Continuous
Tense, or Past Perfect Tense. The ways narrative and recount told are in
chronological order using time or place. Commonly narrative text is found in
story book; myth, fable, folklore, etc while recount text is found in
biography.
The thing that makes narrative and
recount different is the structure in which they are constructed. Narrative
uses conflicts among the participants whether natural conflict, social conflict
or psychological conflict. In some ways narrative text combines all these
conflicts. In the contrary, we do not find these conflicts inside recount text.
Recount applies series of event as the basic structure
m)
REVIEW
Purpose: to critique or evaluate an art
work or event for a public audience
dominant Generic Structure:
1. Orientation
2. Evaluation
3. Interpretative Recount
4. Evaluation
5. Evaluative Summation
Dominant Language features:
1. Focus on specific participants
2. Using adjectives
3. Using long and complex clauses
4. Using metaphor
