Purpose of Explanatory Text: Definition, Structure, Characteristics, Rules, Examples

Purpose of Explanatory Text: Definition, Structure, Characteristics, Rules, Examples – In this discussion we will explain about explanatory text. Which includes the meaning of explanatory text, the purpose of explanatory text, the structure of explanatory text, the characteristics of the text explanation, language rules of explanatory text, and examples of explanatory text with complete and easy discussion understood. For more details, please see the review below carefully.

Purpose of Explanatory Text: Definition, Structure, Characteristics, Rules, Examples

Let's discuss the definition of expansive text first carefully.

Definition of Explanatory Text

Explanatory text is a text whose contents are about the process of "how" and "why" on a topic related to natural, social, scientific, cultural events that occur in everyday life.

Definition of Explanatory Text According to Experts

The definition of an explanatory text from Restuti (2013: 85) says that what is meant by an explanatory text is a text that explains or explains natural or social processes or phenomena.

Meanwhile, according to (Mahsun, 2013: 189): The structure of this text is structured as follows, these sections are general statements (opening), series of explanations (contents) and explanations / closings. The general statement section contains brief information about what was discussed. The sequence of explanations contains the sequence of explanations or explanations of the events that occurred. While the interpretation section contains the author's brief opinion about the events that occurred. This section is the closing of an explanatory text that may or may not exist.

Purpose of Explanatory Text

Explanatory text aims to provide detailed information to the reader so that they can understand the phenomenon that is happening.

Explanatory Text Structure

Explanatory text consists of general statements, causal sequences, and interpretations. Each of these constituents is described in detail below.

• General Statement

This statement is about a topic that will be discussed about the process of its existence and the process of its emergence or the process of its formation.

• Order of Cause and Effect

In this section, the contents explain in detail the process of an event occurring sequentially or in stages from beginning to end.

• Interpretation

This section contains conclusions or statements about the topics that have been described.

Explanatory Text Sections

To support this function, explanatory text consists of parts that compose the entire body of this text into explanatory descriptions. the part in question.

• The opening of the explanatory text is a general statement by the author.
• The content section is a series of explanations about the phenomenon being notified.
• The closing section is a section that contains an explanation of the content described in the text.

Characteristics of Explanatory Text

The characteristics of explanatory text are:

• Structured, composed of general statements, has causation and interpretation
• The information included is based on fact or reality
• This fact contains information of a scientific nature

Language Rules of Explanatory Text

language rules or language characteristics used in explanatory texts, namely:

• Fill with factual information
• Explain scientific information
•  It is informative and doesn't try to convince the reader to believe it
• Using sequence markers, such as first, next, last or first, second, third and so on.
• Focus on general matters, not human participants, such as landslides, earthquakes, floods, rain
• More often use material and relational verbs (active verbs)
• Use timing and causal relationships, such as if, if, so, before, first, and then
• Use passive sentences
• Explanatory text is made to justify that something described is true.

Example of explanatory text with its structure

Here are some examples of explanatory text that we can study carefully, please pay attention.

Example of a Tsunami Explanation Text

General Statement

Tsunami comes from Japanese and consists of two syllables, namely "tsu" (harbor) and "nami" (wave). Scientists often define it as neither a wave (tidal wave) nor a seismic sea wave (sea wave caused by an earthquake).

A tsunami is a sudden high-speed wave headed towards the coast, due to volcanic activity or an earthquake under the sea.

Order of Cause and Effect

When an earthquake occurs and the seafloor rises along the fault, that's when a tsunami is generated. The fault disrupts the balance of seawater. Large faults will produce large waves.

After an earthquake occurs, sea water will recede. And will return to the mainland in the form of a big wave (tsunami).

Tsunamis also occur due to volcanic eruptions on the seabed which cause high movements of sea water or the surrounding waters.

The waves at the time of the tsunami have a greater speed than ordinary waves. Even up to 700km / h and almost the same as the speed of the plane.

Often tsunami waves are as high as 50-100 meters and spread out in all directions. The depth and shape of the coast are affected by the height of the tsunami. Therefore earthquakes on the ocean floor make it possible to generate tsunamis.

Interpretation

In fact, the tsunami is a natural event that is very dangerous for humans because it can cause enormous damage to the point of claiming thousands of lives at once if it happens accidentally suddenly.

Therefore we must always be vigilant at all times and prepare ourselves for a tsunami natural disaster. Although not all earthquakes and volcanic eruptions on the ocean floor cause tsunamis.

Example of Explanatory Text for Mount Eruption

General Statement

A volcanic eruption is a natural phenomenon that occurs due to magma deposits in the bowels of the earth and is released by gases that have high strength. Volcanic eruptions are one of the most devastating natural disasters.

Despite this, the volcano was formed from a very violent eruption. Several volcanoes in Indonesia are Mount Krakatau, Mount Merapi, Mount Toba, Mount Kairinchi, Mount Tambora and many other volcanoes.

Order of Cause and Effect

Almost all volcanic activity is associated with active seismic zones because they are directly related to the earth's plate boundaries. The discovery of volcanic eruptions begins with activity at the earth's plate boundaries which continue to experience major changes in pressure and temperature.

This allows the melting of rock material around the mountain, which is often referred to as magma or incandescent fluid. Magma will instruct the surrounding material with faults close to the earth's surface.

Magma is formed from very hot temperatures in the bowels of the earth. At relative depths, the extremely high temperatures would melt everything in the Earth's core.

When these materials melt, they will produce gas which in time will mix with the magma. Magma will be ejected from an erupting volcano and form at a depth of approximately 60 to 160 km below the earth's surface.

Furthermore, the gas-containing magma is under pressure from the solid rock around the crater. This pressure causes magma to erupt and move out towards the earth's surface.

This gas and magma simultaneously explode to form a hole which is often called the main hole. Most of the magma and other volcanic material then erupts through this main hole. After the eruptions have stopped, these bowl-like craters often form at the top of the volcano. While the main hole is at the bottom of the crater.

The impact of volcanic eruptions on the environment can be either positive or negative. The negative impact of volcanic eruptions is in the form of direct danger that can be felt by humans and other living things. Such as hot clouds, toxic gases, volcanic ash, and pyroclastic waterfalls that come out of the mountain. While the indirect hazards that occur after the eruption ends are lava rains, damage to agricultural land and plantations, as well as the threat of various diseases such as respiratory diseases.

And the positive impact that can be felt is the fertility of the soil, the material that comes out of the bowels of the earth can utilized as a community livelihood, geothermal energy, as nature tourism, and water sources.

Interpretation

Because, until now the volcano is still a terrible problem for the community. The reason is, the enormity of a volcanic eruption can split the island and become a lake.

Example of Rainbow Explanation Text

General Statement

A rainbow or rainbow, rainbow, is a natural phenomenon that occurs as a result of the refraction of sunlight from water droplets. A rainbow has various types of colors that are parallel and visible in the sky, a rainbow is also an optical phenomenon.

In general, a rainbow looks like an arc, and each end points to a different point. A rainbow is seen as an arc of light, with its tip tilted across the horizon during light rain. Often it can also be seen around a rushing waterfall.

Order of Cause and Effect

Rainbows appear because light refracts and moves away from the particles. At sunset it causes the sky to turn red because sunlight passes through an atmosphere that is thicker than the sun's condition during the day.

Rainbows also cannot be seen at night or when it's cloudy, this is a clear sign that rainbows are natural occurrences due to light refraction.

At first, sunlight passes through the raindrops, then is deflected towards the center of the raindrops so that what happens is the white light turns into a spectrum color.

Interpretation

We can see rainbows when it rains and the sun shines from the opposite side to the direction we are facing. So that our position must be between the sun and water droplets with the sun behind us.

As an observer, the sun and the center of the rainbow arc must be in a straight line. So that we can enjoy the beautiful colors of the rainbow consisting of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and purple.

Example of Flood Explanation Text

General Statement

Floods are a complex problem in Indonesia, especially in big cities like Jakarta. Solutions to the problem of flooding must be sought so that the effects do not damage and harm the community. However, we cannot hand over this responsibility to the government, because the role of the community is very large in helping to overcome this flood problem.

Order of Cause and Effect

Floods that occur in Jakarta are caused by the geographical location of Jakarta which is lower than other regions. And also, densely populated Jakarta is also very high. This causes the vacant land to turn into residential land, leaving no place to absorb water.

In addition, residents who do not dispose of garbage in its place because throwing it into the river more often obstructs the flow of river water. This is the main cause of flooding in Jakarta in the upcoming rainy season.

To reduce and overcome floods, collaboration between the government and the community in general must be collaborated. Commitment and cooperation from various parties are needed to prevent Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia from flooding.

Actions that can be taken include making water absorption holes, creating more green open spaces, changing people's behavior so they don't throw garbage in the river.

Interpretation

Participation of all elements of society must be carried out in good coordination so that it can run effectively. Flood management is carried out in stages, starting from prevention, during floods, and post-flood recovery.

Example of Poverty Explanation Text

General Statement

Poverty is the low income of the people so they cannot meet their basic daily needs (food, shelter, education, etc.). In general, the poor often live in huts, under bridges and along rivers.

Often poor people build their own homes on state-owned land. Poverty exists in all developing countries that have this problem.

Order of Cause and Effect

Poverty can occur due to several factors, one of which is the lack of completeness of education and fulfillment of daily needs. Bankruptcy, disaster, slavery, social structure are also other factors that cause poverty.

Social structure and behavior are the main factors of poverty. Consumptive behavior, prestige, expenses that are not matched by income and so on. Social structure factors focus on hereditary problems (especially the education problem of the poor). Prestige behavior, making people more willing than necessary.

To be honest, there are many efforts that can be done by the community and the government to overcome poverty. For example by increasing the minimum wage for work, increasing employment opportunities, free education and relatively cheap housing.

It also has to get support from the community by not wasting money, not being proud, connecting and helping the people around it. So that community and government cooperation can run effectively in poverty alleviation.

Interpretation

There should be no poverty in Indonesia. If we can and want to accept and be grateful for what we have. These bad characteristics must be removed and the cooperation of the government and society is very important to be able to eradicate poverty in Indonesia.

Thus has been explained about Purpose of Explanatory Text: Definition, Structure, Characteristics, Rules, Examples, hopefully can add to your insight and knowledge. Thank you for visiting and don't forget to read other articles.