Example of Explanation Text: How Tsunami Happens

A text describing how a tsunami happens is categorized as an example of explanation text. Each explanation text in English shows how a thing happen or exposes why the thing happens. Do you remember procedure text? Yes, actually procedure text are very similar to explanation text. Both are written to explaining how thing are formed. However, there a little difference between them. Procedure text is written in the imperative mode while explanation text is composed in affirmative sentences.

What is explanation text? How is explanation text writen? If you are writing an example of explanation text, you must organize your paragraph into the divisions to confirming the general statement and followed by sequenced explanation. The two structural elements are what form an explanation text in English genres. How they are applied in a short text? Below is the sample!

Tsunami

A tsunami visualization.. How it is happens is written in the form of example of explanation text

The term of “tsunami” comes from the Japanese which means harbour (“tsu”) and wave (“nami”). A tsunami is a series of waves generated when water in a lake or a sea is rapidly displaced on a massive scale.

A tsunami can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water. Such large vertical movements of the earth’s crust can occur at plate boundaries.

Subduction of earthquakes are particularly effective in generating tsunami, and occur where denser oceanic plates slip under continental plates.

As the displaced water mass moves under the influence of gravity to regain its equilibrium, it radiates across the ocean like ripples on a pond.

Tsunami always bring great damage. Most of the damage is caused by the huge mass of water behind the initial wave front, as the height of the sea keeps rising fast and floods powerfully into the coastal area.

(simplified from www.panda.org)

Generic Structure of Explanation Text about How Tsunami Happens

We have said above that explanation text are organized in general statement and sequenced explanation. After reading that short example, then we will see the text organization below!

1. Paragraph of General Statement: It is the paragraph which tell the reader what about the text is. Mostly the topics are in general categories.

A tsunami is a series of waves generated when water in a lake or a sea is rapidly displaced on a massive scale

2. Paragraphs of Sequenced Explanation: This is the writer explanation in detail on how the thing stated in the first paragraph happens

A tsunami can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms and vertically displaces the overlying water.

Subduction of earthquakes are particularly effective in generating tsunami

it radiates across the ocean like ripples on a pond.

Tsunami always bring great damage

That’s all the example of explanation text about how tsunami happens. Hopefully, this post helps you to understand well about English genres, especially explanation text. Happy learning English Online