The

explanation
book

Explanation text
tells how or why a process
happens (or how something works).

This is sequential and deals

with cause and effect.

These texts are often

explanation texts

question & answer

articles and leaflets

write-up
of science
equipment

encyclopaedia
entry

explanation
science text
book

parts of a
non-fiction
book
technical manual
(e.g. for car or
washing machine)

(e.g. geography,
biology)

Explanation text needs

Pu

rpose

to explain a process
to help the reader
understand how or why
something happens (or
why something is as it
is)
to engage the readers
attention.
The genre of
text can also affect
the purpose.

a title telling whats to be

explained
introduction, providing any
necessary background
clear layout (e.g. sections,
paragraphs) which helps show
the stages in the process
each paragraph starts with a
A topic sentence sums up
topic sentence
what the paragraph is
about.

maybe labelled picture(s) or

diagram(s)
organisational devices to aid
clarity (e.g. bullet points,
subheadings)
closing sentence, to round off
the report.

Explanation writing

e
c
n
e
i
Aud

Use what you know about

your audience to decide

think about the audience

for the explanation

how much background detail

is needed

how much do you know

about them
(age, interests, prior
knowledge)

appropriate level of formality.

Think about your audience
when you plan the layout.
How can you make it easy
for them to read?

Where should the text sit along these continua?

informal

formal

personal

impersonal
The position on each continuum may be different. Impersonal texts are
sometimes written informally, and personal texts may be formal.

Planning and organising explanations

Simple explanation:
a series of logical steps

leading
to

leading
to

More complex explanations

e.g.
cts
ffe
e
ible
s
r
e
Rev

leading
to

possibly other causes and

effects at each stage.

More than one cause

Probably...

labelled
diagram(s)

Cycle

Organising explanation text

ro
t
n
I

defines the
process
Intro

When you have made your

flowchart skeleton, each
blob gives you one paragraph
(or section) in your writing.

the process
in logically
sequenced
steps
neat last
line

End

En

Explanations can be complicated. You may

have to draft your flow chart several times.
But making the flow chart and other
diagrams can help you understand the

Explanation language features

present tense verbs
(unless historical explanations)

time connectives to show

sequence of events
causal language
impersonal language
technical vocabulary,
with definitions if
necessary.

bec
aus
e
if... then...

t ...
a
h
t
n
o
s
a
e
r
the
when
so

.
this results in..
this ca
uses...
e
r
o
f
e
r
the

Impersonal writing
third person
passive voice
formal connectives, e.g.
However, Therefore,
Furthermore, Consequently
usually formal vocabulary
e.g.
placed rather than put
known as rather than
called.

The stic
k was
placed i
n...

This is known as...

s
i
r
o
t
o
The m
.
.
.
y
b
d
operate

The sides are

covered in...

Alternative skeleton
note-taking frameworks
effects

* cause and effect grid

* clockface cycle
* labelled diagram(s)
(often with arrows)

* sequence of pictures
* cross section

c
a
u
s
e
s

Example of
skeletons
in use
Taken from How to teach Writing Across the
Curriculum by Sue Palmer, with many thanks to David
Fulton Publishers

Why do people die if they stop breathing?

In order to stay alive, human beings need
a constant supply of oxygen (a gas found
in the air) to all parts of the body. They
also need to rid their bodies of a waste
gas called carbon dioxide, which would
otherwise poison them.
These two gases are carried round the
body in the blood. Veins carry blood to
the heart and arteries carry blood away
from the heart. Both veins and arteries
divide into millions of tiny capillary blood
vessels. Gases can move between the
blood in the capillaries and tiny cells
which make up the human body.
When a human being breathes in, air goes
into the lungs, which are like two spongy
bags filled with millions of air sacs.
Oxygen from the air passes through the
sacs into the capillary blood vessels. The
blood then carries the oxygen through a
vein to the heart.

The heart pumps this oxygen-carrying

blood around the whole body through
arteries which divide into capillaries to
reach the body cells. Oxygen passes
from the blood to the cells, and carbon
dioxide (the waste gas) passes from
the cells into the blood. Veins take this
waste-carrying blood back to the
heart, which pumps it back to the lungs.
There the carbon dioxide passes into
the air sacs.
When the human being breathes out,
the carbon dioxide is pushed back into
the air. Breathing in and out is
therefore essential because it ensures
that life-giving oxygen is constantly
replaced and poisonous carbon dioxide
expelled.

Skeleton

Air
Contains
oxygen
(O )

Breathe
air

capillaries

in

capillaries
Ve
in

Air sacs

HEART

AIR

LUNGS
Air sacs

Breathe

CO

capillaries

ery
t
r
A

ery
t
r
A

Ve
in

cells
BODY
cells

CO

capillaries

out CO

Text

The End