Report Text: Definition, Structure, Language Features, and Example
Have you ever read a text about animals, plants, natural phenomena, or social phenomena in general? For example, a text about whales, elephants, volcanoes, or computers.
A text that gives general information about a class of things is called a report text. In this lesson, we will learn report text in easy English.
What Is Report Text?
Report text is a text that describes things in general. It can describe animals, plants, objects, natural phenomena, man-made things, or social phenomena.
Report text does not describe one specific thing only. It talks about a group or class of things. For example, it talks about whales in general, not one whale named Willy.
Report text gives general facts about something.
Social Function of Report Text
The social function of report text is to describe the way things are. It gives factual information about natural, man-made, or social phenomena around us.
Generic Structure of Report Text
A report text usually has two main parts:
1. General Classification
This part introduces the subject and tells what class or group it belongs to.
Example: Whales are sea-living mammals.
2. Description
This part describes the features, parts, habits, qualities, or characteristics of the subject.
Example: Whales breathe air and have smooth skin.
Language Features of Report Text
Report text usually uses some language features, such as:
- Using simple present tense: Whales live in the sea.
- Using general participants: whales, mammals, plants, computers
- Using relational verbs: are, is, have, has
- Using factual information: facts about size, parts, habits, or characteristics
- Using technical terms: mammals, nostril, blubber, species
- No temporal sequence: report text does not usually tell events in order like recount text.
Example of Report Text
Whales
General Classification
Whales are sea-living mammals. They live in the ocean, but they are not fish.
Description
Whales breathe air, so they must come to the surface of the water to breathe. They cannot survive on land because their bodies are adapted to life in the sea.
Some whales are very large. The blue whale can be more than 30 meters long, and it is the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth.
At first, whales may look like fish, but they are different. A whale has a horizontal tail, while a fish usually has a vertical tail. A whale also has a nostril on top of its head, called a blowhole.
Whales have smooth and shiny skin. Under the skin, there is a thick layer of fat called blubber. This blubber helps keep the whale warm in cold water.
Why Is This Text a Report Text?
This text is a report text because it gives general facts about whales. It does not tell a story about one specific whale. It explains whales as a group of animals.
Report Text vs Descriptive Text
Report text and descriptive text can look similar because both describe something. But they are different.
Report text describes something in general, such as whales, cats, computers, or volcanoes. Descriptive text describes one specific thing, such as my cat, Borobudur Temple, or my favorite school.
Practice Questions
Try to answer these questions first. Click each question to see the answer.
1. What is the purpose of report text?
The purpose of report text is to describe things in general and give factual information about them.
2. What are the two main parts of report text?
The two main parts are general classification and description.
3. Are whales fish?
No. Whales are mammals, not fish.
4. What is blubber?
Blubber is a thick layer of fat under a whale’s skin. It helps keep the whale warm.
5. What is the difference between report text and descriptive text?
Report text describes something in general, while descriptive text describes one specific thing.
Conclusion
Report text is used to describe things in general. It usually has general classification and description. To write a good report text, use facts, simple present tense, and clear information about the subject.
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