EXPLANATION TEXT : How a Cancer is formed

Definition of Explanation Text

    Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific and cultural phenomena. Explanation text is to say ‘why’ and ‘how’ of the forming of the phenomena. It is often found in science, geography and history text books.

Generic Structure of Explanation Text

• General statement

General statement; stating the phenomenon issues which are to be explained.

• Sequenced of explanation

Sequenced explanation; stating a series of steps which explain the phenomena.

Purpose of Explanation Text

• Explanation is a text which tells processes relating to forming of natural, social, scientific, and cultural phenomena.
• To explain how or why something happens.

According to Mark Anderson and Kathy Anderson (1997: 82) says that the explanation text type is often used to tell how and why thing (phenomena) occur in nature.

Language Features of Explanation Text

• In an explanation text, there are linguistic features as below :
• Using simple present tense
• Using abstract noun (no visible noun)
• Using Passive voice
• Using Action verbs
• Containing explanation of the process ..

Example of Explanation Text – How a Cancer is Formed

How a Cancer is formed

        What is cancer? It is actually a group of more than one hundred separate diseases. Most of us are fear from cancer It is reasonable because next to heart disease, cancer is the second leading cause of death.

        Cancer cells come from normal cells because of mutations of DNA. Those mutations can occur spontaneously. The mutations may be also induced by other factors such as: nuclear and electromagnetic radiation, viruses, bacteria and fungi, parasites, heat, chemicals in the air, water and food, mechanical cell-level injury, free radicals, evolution and ageing of DNA, etc. All such factors can produce mutations that may start cancer.

        Cancer cells are formed continuously in the organism. It is estimated that there are about 10,000 cancer cells at any given time in a healthy person. Why do some result in macroscopic-level cancers and some do not? First, not all damaged cells can multiply and many of them die quickly. Second, those which potentially divide and form cancer are effectively destroyed by the mechanisms available to the immune system. Therefore cancer develops if the immune system is not working properly or the amount of cells produced is too great for the immune system to eliminate.