Text Types and Functional Texts

A. Text Types

Texts are divided into different types, which are recount text, narrative text, descriptive text, report text and procedural text. Below are explained the use of each text type and an example of it to help you differ one text type with another.


I. Recount
A text which is written in order to RETELL PASS EXPERIENCES.

Example:

Lateness

  Last morning, Dinar, my roommate woke up late and she had to go to campus. When she wanted to take her motorcycle, in fact she couldn’t move it because there were some motorcycles that blocked up her motorcycle. She tried to move all of the motorcycles, so that her motorcycle could move from the garage. But she couldn’t do it. Then, she called Adel who had that motorcycle which blocked it up. After that, her friend who had that motorcycle helped her. Finally, she could move her motorcycle and rode it to go to campus.

II.  Narrative

A text which is written in order to ENTERTAIN READERS. USUALLY IN A FORM OF FAIRYTALE, CHILDREN STORIES, FABLE, MYTH, LEGEND, etc..

Example:

The Dogs and the Fox

  Some dogs, finding the skin of a lion, began to tear it in pieces with their teeth. A Fox, seeing them, said, "If this lion were alive, you would soon find out that his claws were stronger than your teeth." 

III. Descriptive

A text which is written in order to DESCRIBE SOMETHING IN A SPECIFIC WAY.

Example:

My Cat Garfield

  My cat, Garfield is the only pet I have. He has a little hair, a peach fuzz over much of his body. Garfield has a normal cat proportion.

  My mom says that its tail is like rats’, but I love it. I love his white skin color. He is really an amazing and intelligent cat. He responds to my commands. He is really funny. I love him so much.

IV. Report

 A text which is written in order to DESCRIBE SOMETHING IN GENERAL.

Example: 

The Camel

  The camel is a large, strong desert animal. Camels can travel great distances across hot, dry deserts with little food or water. They walk easily on soft sand and carry people and heavy hump. The hump is a large lump of fat providing energy if food is hard to find.

V. Procedure

A text which is written in order to TELL READER ON HOW TO DO SOMETHING IN A SEQUENCED INSTRUCTIONS.

Example:

HOW TO MAKE FRUIT COCKTAIL

Ingredients:

- 150 grams of papaya and molded into balls

- 250 grams of watermelon and molded into balls

- 300 grams of melon and molded into balls

- 300 grams of nata de coco

- 100 ml of nata de coco water

- 150 ml of vanilla syrup

- 2 tablespoons of lime juice

- 1 1/2 tablespoons of chopped mint leaves

- 1,000 ml of apple juice slap wear

- 500 grams of ice cubes

Procedure:

1. Soak papaya in 500 ml of water and 1 teaspoon water whiting. Set aside. Wash clean.

2. Mix papaya, watermelon, cantaloupe, nata de coco, nata de coco water, vanilla syrup, lime juice, mint leaves, and apple juice. Stir well.

3. Save 30 minutes in the refrigerator until all of those are absorbed.

4. Serve with ice cubes.

B. Functional Texts

Functional texts are used to tell readers/audience about something. There are many types of functional texts, warning, caution and notice, greeting card, letter/e-mail and short messages, advertisement, announcement, invitation, and schedule, each differs by the how it is written and the author's purpose for writing it. 

I. Warning, Caution and Notice

The three texts are used to inform readers not to do or to do something in order to avoid unwanted consequences. The difference between these texts is the level of risk might happen for ignoring the warning, caution or notice, with warning as the most and notice as the least. Ignoring a warning could lead to fatal incidents, even death.

II. Greeting Card
Greeting cards are usually written in a decorated sheet of card which is put inside an envelope. Greeting cards are used to wish or congratulate the recipient in a special occasion or events.

III. Letter/E-mail and Short Message
Letter, e-mail and short message are used to inform the recipient about something. The difference of letter and e-mail with short message is that short message doesn't contain details about the topic and are written shortly, while letter and e-mail contain details and are usually written in paragraphs. While the difference between letter  and e-mail is that e-mails are written (typed) in an electronical device and are sent through the internet, unlike letters which are paper based.

IV. Advertisement
Advertisements are used to promote readers of a product or service or to persuade them to consume or to follow certain suggestions suggested in the advertisement.

V. Announcement
Announcements are used to inform or announce readers about something or an event which is going to be held be the organization or person who did the announcement.

VI. Invitation
Invitations are used to invite the recipients to an event, party, meeting, etc.. Usually invitations include the event name, date/time of event and some activities which are going to be held that might motivate the recipient to come.

VII. Schedule
Schedules is used to list several events or activities in the sequence of when it will be done along with the specific time of each activities to start.