1. EXPLANATIONS Advanced Genre-Based Writing 9-th Week
By Dra. Sri Mulatsih, M.Pd.

2. EXPLANATIONS
SOCIAL FUNCTION
To give an account of how something works or reasons for some phenomenon.
To explain the processes involved in the formation or workings of natural or socio cultural phenomena.

3. TYPES Explaining how: - Mechanical explanation (How does a pump work?)
- Technological explanation (How does a computer work?)
- System explanation ( How does a company work?)
- Natural explanation (How are mountains formed?)

4. TYPES (Cont…….) Explaining why:
- Why do some things float and others sink?
- Why is the ozone layer thinning?
- Why do we have different seasons?
- Why does iron go rusty?
- Why do living things need food?

5. General Statement about phenomenon
SCHEMATIC STRUCTURE
General Statement about phenomenon
To position the reader
Explanation
- To give a sequenced explanation of how or why something occurs.

6. SIGNIFICANT GRAMMATICAL/LANGUAGE FEATURES
Generalised non-human participants ( the wind, glaciers, computers, etc.)
Time relationships ( first, then, following, finally) especially in explaining how.
Cause and effect relationships (if/then, so, as a sequence, since) especially in explaining why.
Mainly action verbs (material process: fall, rises, changes)
Some passives (is saturated, are changed, etc.)
Timeless present tense (are, happens, turns)

7. EXAMPLES
FROM BEVERLY DEREWIANKA
FROM GEROT AND WIGNELL