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BIOGRAPHY
Definition : Is a detailed description or account of a person’s
life.biography is life story of a person written by someone else. It is non fiction text.
(usually biographies are about historical figures, but
sometimes they are also about people still living.)
Characteristics :
Is not written by the subject
Is always written in third person
Is based on research not on imagination
Describes the person’s surroundings (where, when, and how
the person lived)
Shows how the person affected other people’s life through
their behaviour, discoveries , social reform, etc.
Supplies details that illustrate the person’s individually
Use vivid language to narrate events
Generic Structures :
1. Introduction/Orientation
It gives the readers the background information of the
person. It is the opening paragraph. It usually containts newsworthy information about the person. 2. A series of events
The events should be in chronological order.
3. Closing
It consist of conclusion or a comment of the writter.
Sometimes it tell about the echievement or the contribution of the person.
Sometimes a biography uses the following structure :
1. Introducing paragraph
It tells about the person in general or general or the basic
fact and information with made him/her own.
2. Supporting Paragraph
It consist of some paragraphs. It contains many events in
chronological order.
Grammar and Language features :
Use of simple past tense
Sometimes use other past tense
Focus on temporal sequence
Focus on specific participant
Use of action verb (answering, bathing, breaking, bringing,
calling, building, etc.) Types :
1. Short Biography : Focuses only on highlights of a person’s
life.
2. Long Biography : Talks about life and times of someone in
a lot more detail.
Social function :
To know a person’s story about his/her life outside of any
accomplishments this person may be known for.
To give many information easily and educate the readers.
Example of Biography
Introduction
Barrack Obama was born on August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
His father was a Kenyan named Barrack Obama, Sr.(senior). His mother was a White American named Ann Dunham. His parents separated when he was two years old and later divorced. His father returned to Kenya and saw him only once more before he died in an automobile accidents in 1962.
A series of events
After the divorce, Obama’s mother then married an
Indonesian, Lolo Soentoro. The family then moved to his stepfather’s home country in 1967. Obama attended local school in Jakarta until he was ten years old. Obama returned to Honolulu in 1971.He lived with his maternal grandparents until his graduation from high school in 1979. After that, Obama moved to Los Angeles and studied at Occidental College for two years. Then he transfered to Columbia University in New York City.
Closing
Obama entered Harvard Law School in late 1988. He was
selected as an editor of the law review based on his grade and writing competition. In 1989,he became the first Black president of the Harvard Law Review. He graduated with J.D.Magna cum laude from Harvard in 1990.