Explanation Text: Naajihah Mafruudloh, M.PD

Explanation Text
Naajihah Mafruudloh, M.Pd
Taken from ‘How to teach Writing

Across the Curriculum’ (KS1/2) by
Sue Palmer, with many thanks to
explanation text
* explains how or why something happens
* cause and effect
* often in time order
(sequential)
Blank version
These texts are
often ‘explanation text’…
“question & encyclopaedia

answer” entry
articles
and
parts of a
leaflets
non-fiction
book
explanation (e.g geography,
biology)
write-up of
science
experiment science technical manual
text book
(e.g for car or
washing machine)
explanation organisation 1
Simple explanation: Probably…
a series of logical labelled
steps
diagram(s)
leading to leading to leading to
When you have made your

flow-chart skeleton, each
possibly---other causes or section of the flow chart
effects at each stage can become one paragraph
or section of writing.
explanation organisation 2
More complex explanations Cycle Blank
version
e.g.
More than Blank

one cause version
Reversible effects Blank
version
Most explanations are quite complicated.
You have to work out the flow chart
carefully. It’s best to draft it (perhaps
several times). Often making the flow
chart – and other diagrams – helps you
understand.
explanation language features
* present tense
(except historical If…then…
e c a use
explanations) b
* causal language The reason that

when so
* sequential
connectives
This results in…
* impersonal
language (see This causes…
page 8) Therefore
* technical
vocabulary
Audience Purpose
someone* who wants to help reader
to understand a understand the
process (how or why) process as easily as
possible
• clear layout
• use of labelled diagrams
possible use of colour-coding, keys, etc.
• use of boxes for extra information
* You may have further information on the

age, interests, etc of readers.
impersonal language
* third person
The stick w
as
* passive voice placed in…
* usually formal This is known as…

vocabulary
The moto
(e.g “placed” as opp “put”, “known r is
operated
as” as opp. “called”) b y…
* formal
connectives The sides are
covered in…
(e.g Furthermore, However,
Therefore, Consequently)
When writing with a partner..
REHEARSE * Say each phrase or

sentence aloud
* Improve if possible
WRITE One writes,

one helps.
RE-READ Read back to check

it makes sense
‘Skeleton’
blanks
explanation text
Back to original
Reversible effects
Back to original
More than one cause
Back to original
Cycle
Back to original
Alternative ‘skeleton’
note-taking
frameworks
cause and effect grid
effects
c
a
u
s
e
s
‘clockface’ cycle
* labelled diagram(s)
(often with arrows)
* sequence of pictures
* cross-section
Examples of
‘skeletons’
in use
Taken from ‘How to teach Writing Across the
Curriculum’ (KS1/2) by Sue Palmer, with many thanks to
David Fulton Publishers
HOW DO BABIES GROW?
Newborn babies are very small. Most of them weigh round about 3½ kilograms
and are only about 53 centimetres from head to toe. Some are even smaller.
However, soon after they are born, babies are ready to eat! Their food is milk,
which they such from their mummy’s breast or from a bottle.
The milk helps the baby grow, so by 3 months old it weighs about 6 kilograms
and is around 60 centimetres long. Its tummy is growing stronger too. This
means mum can give the baby some solid food as well as milk. The food is
special mushy baby food because the baby does not have any teeth, so it
cannot chew it yet.
At 6 months old a baby is about 8 kilograms and 68 centimetres long. Its body
is stronger now so it can sit up and play. Its little teeth are starting to come
through. This means it can have some hard food like rusks as well as baby food
and milk.
By one year old, most babies weigh around 9½ kilograms and measure about
72cms. They can stand up, and will soon start to walk. They usually have several
teeth, so they can eat the same food as older children, as long as it is cut up
small. As they eat more and more, they will grow heavier, taller and stronger.
Skeleton
3½ kg 53 cm 6 kg 60 cm 8 kg 68 cm 9½ kg 72 cm
3 6 1
Newborn
months months year
suck no teeth tummy some

All different sits up, stands teeth
milk stronger teeth
sizes plays
can’t chew
some hard cut up

milk + mushy food food + food
mush + milk
Text
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
Contains
oxygen
(O )
²
capillaries
Breathe capillaries
Ve
in ter y
in O Ar
O
² cells ²
air Air sacs
HEART
AIR
LUNGS BODY
Air sacs cells

tery Ve
Ar in CO
CO ²
Breathe ²
capillaries capillaries
²
out
CO
Text

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Explanation Text: Naajihah Mafruudloh, M.PD

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Explanation Text

Naajihah Mafruudloh, M.Pd

Taken from ‘How to teach Writing

“question & encyclopaedia

leading to leading to leading to

When you have made your

More than Blank

* causal language The reason that

• use of boxes for extra information

* You may have further information on the

* usually formal This is known as…

REHEARSE * Say each phrase or

WRITE One writes,

RE-READ Read back to check

suck no teeth tummy some

some hard cut up

Air sacs cells

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