Recount Text

The Definition Of Recount Text
Recount text is a text that is used to retell events for the purpose of informing or entertaining.

The generic structures of recount text are :
• Orientation ( it gives the readers the background information needed to understand the text such as who was involved, where it happened, when it happened)
• Events (a series of events, ordered in a chronological sequence)
• Re-orientation (restates the writer’s opinion or personal comment of the writer on the incident


The significant Lexicogrammatical features :
- Use of simple past tense
- Use of temporal conjunctions (when, after, before, next, later, then)
- Use of personal pronoun (I, we)


This sample recount is labelled to show you the structure and language features of a recount text.

TITLE : A visit to a sheep property

ORIENTATION :
Last holidays I visited a sheep property. I helped in the shearing sheds and in the yards.

SEQUENCE OF EVENTS :
On the first day the Merino wethers were crutched. I helped by sweeping up after the rouseabout picked up the wool pieces. Shearers start early (at 7.30 am).

After lunch, we started shearing the lambs. There were more than 400 so we didn't finish until the next day. Once again I was sweeping and picking up dags.

I was tired by the end of the day in the shed but our work wasn't finished. We all had to help to get the wethers and lambs back into the paddocks. As well, we had to get a mob of ewes and their lambs into the yards for shearing the next day. Then it was time for tea (that's what my nanna calls dinner).

REORIENTATION :
This was a very long day but I enjoyed it a lot.


Past Tense - visited, had

Action Terms - crutched - helped

Indicates When - After lunch

Indicates Where - in the shed

Focuses on Individuals - I , We

so

What is recount text?
-It is a text that tells us about what had happened in series of events in sequence.

What is the function?
-To tell an event in the past time chronologically

What is the generic structure of recount text?
-Orientation
-Series of events
-Reorientation

What is in Orientation?
-In orientation the writer at least introduces the main character(s), the location and the time. To make it easier we can answer the questions:
*Who involved in the story?
*Where it happened?
*When it happened?

What are in series of events?
-In series of events the writer writes the events chronologically. It begins from the first event, followed by the second event to the the last event. The sum of events depend on the creativity of the writer.

What is in reorientation?
-In reorientation the writer draw a conclusion or gives comment about the story. Not all recount text closed by reorientation. It is optional.