LEARNING TEXT

Understanding Genre, Social Function,

Generic Structure and Language Features
A certain text applies a certain form of writing (genre) in regard to its purpose or social
function. Different types of text are normally arranged in distinctive generic structures or
organization of the text.
Study the summaries of genres and their features bellow!
N
o.

Genre

Social Function

1.

Narrative

To amuse ,
entertain and to
deal with actual or
vicarious
experience in
different ways:
Narrative deals
with problematic
events which lead
to crisis or turning
point of some
kind, which in turn
finds are
resolutions.

Generic Structure

Language Features

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 worse.
Re-orientation
Optional.

Focus on specific
and usually
individualized
participants.
Use of material
process (Behavior and
verbal process).
Use of relational
process and mental
process.
Use temporal
conjunction and
circumstances.
Use of past
tense.

2.

Recount

To retell events for

the purpose of
informing or
entertaining.

Orientation
Provides the setting and
introduces participants.
Events
Tell what happened, in what
sequence
Re-orientation
Optional, closure of events

Focus on specific
participants.
Use of material
processes.
Circumstances of
time and places.
Use of past
tense.
Focus on
temporal sequences.

3.

Spoof

To retell an event
wit a humorous
twist.

Orientation
Present the background
information on the who,
when and where of the
event.
Events
The body tells the event
that took place in the order
that happened.
Tell what happened in a
chronological order.
Twist
The event starts to end with
an unexpected turn/ provide
the funniest part of the

Focus on
individual participants.
The use of action
verbs.
The use of
connectives ( first, then,
finally ).
The use of
adverbial phrases of
time and place.
The use of simple
past tense.

story.
4.

Expositio
n
(Analytic
al )

To persuade the
reader or listener
that something is
the case.

Thesis
Position : Introduces topic
and indicates writers
position.
Preview : Outlines the main
arguments to be
presented.
Arguments
Point : Restated main
arguments. Outlined in
preview.
Elaboration : Develops
and supports each point/
arguments.
Reiteration

Focus on generic
human and non-human
participants.
Use of simple
past tense.
Use of relational
processes.
Use of internal
conjunction to state
argument.
Reasoning
through casual
conjunction or
nominalization.

Restates writers position.

5.

Expositio
n
(Hortator
y)

To persuade the
reader or listener
that something
should or
shouldnt be the
case.

Thesis
Announcement of issue
concern.
Arguments
Reason for concern, leading
to recommendation.
Recommendation
What ought or oughtnt to
happen.

Focus on generic
human and non-human
participants, except for
speaker or writer
referring to self.
Use of
Mental processes : To
stated what happens.
Relational processes :
To stated what should or
shouldnt be.
Use of simple
past tense.

6.

Discussio
n

To present ( at
least ) to point of
view about an
issue.

Issue

Focus on generic

Statement
Preview
Arguments for and

human and non-human

participants.
Use of :

against
Statement of differing
points of view.
* Point
* Elaboration
Conclusion/Recommen

Material processes.
E.g. has produced, have
developed. To feed.
Relational processes.
E.g. Is, could have,
cause, are.
Mental processes. E.g.
feel.
Use of

*
*

dation

comparative :
contrastive and
consequential
conjunctions.
Reasoning
expressed as verbs and
nouns (abstractions)
7.

Descripti

To describe a

Identification

Focus on specific

on

particular person,
place or thing.

Identifies phenomenon to
be describe.
Description
Describe parts qualities,
characteristics.

participants.
Use of attributive
and identifying
processes.
Frequent use of
Euphrates and classifiers
in formal groups.
Use of simple
present tense.

8.

9.

Report

Procedur
e

To describe the
way things are,
with reference to a
range of natural,
man-made and
social phenomena
in our
environment.

To describe how
some things
accomplished
trough a sequence
of action or steps.

General classification
Tells what the phenomena
under discussions is.
Description
Tells what the phenomena
under discussions is like in
tern of :
Parts.
Qualities.
Habits or behavior, if
living : uses, if non-natural.
Goal
Materials
( not required for all
procedural texts).
Steps 1-n
( i.e., goal followed by a
series of steps oriented to
achieving the goal ).

Focus on generic
participants.
Use of relational
processes to state what
is and which it is.
Use of simple
present tense (Unless
extinct).
No temporal
sequence.
Focus on
generalized human
agents.
Use of simple
present tense, often
imperative.
Use mainly of
temporal conjunction ( or
numbering to indicate
sequence ).
Use mainly of
material processes.

10
.

Explanati
on

To explain the
processes involved
in the formation or
workings of
natural or sociocultural
phenomena.

General statement

Focus generic

To position the reader.

Sequenced explanation

non human participants.

Use mainly of

Of why or how something

occurs.

material and relational

processes.
Use mainly of
temporal and causal
circumstances and
conjunctions.
Some use of
passive voice to get
theme right.

11
.

News
Item

To inform readers,
listeners or
viewers about
events of the day
which are
considered

Newsworthy event (s)

Short telegraphic

Recounts the event in

summary form.
Background events

information about story

captured in headline.
Use material

Elaborate what happened,

processes to retell the

newsworthy or
important.

to whom in what
circumstances.
Sources
Comments by participants
in, witnesses to an
authorities expert on the
event.

event ( in the text

bellow, many of the
material processes are
nominally).
Use of projecting
verbal processes in
sources stage.
Focus on
circumstances ( e.g.,
mostly within qualifiers ).

12
.

Review

To criticize
( comment ) an art
work, event for a
public audience.
Such : work of art
included movies,
TV shows, books,
plays, opera,
recording,
exhibitions,
concerts and
ballets.

Orientation
Places the work in its
general and particular
context, often by comparing
it with other of its kind all
through analogue with a
non object or event.
Interpretative recount
Summaries the plot and /
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 / its
performances or
production; is usually
recursive.
Evaluative summation

Focus on
particular participants.
Direct expression
of option through use of
attitudinal epithets in
nominal groups;
qualitative attributes and
effective mental
processes.
Use of
elaborating and
extending clause and
group complex to
package the information.
Use of
metaphorical language
(e.g., the wit was there,
dexterously ping panged
to and fro .).

Provides a kind of punch

line which sums up the
reviewers opinion of the art
event as a whole ; is
optional.
13
.

Anecdote

To retells funny
and unusual
incidents in fact or
imagination. Its
purpose is to
entertain the
readers.
to share with
others an account
of an unusual or
amusing incident

Orientation.
Crisis
Reaction
Coda
Abstract

Using
exclamations, rhetorical
question or intensifiers
Using material
process
Using temporal
conjunctions