Recount Text: Definition, Structures

Key Points

DEFINITION:
Recounts ‘tell what happened.’ A recount text is a text that tells you a part of experience. A recount text has an orientation, a series of events in chronological order personal remarks on the events. In the text you find words and phrases used to start connect a sentence with the next one and end your composition. Those words and phrases are: first then after that finally.The purpose of a factual recount is to document a series of events and evaluate their significance in some way. The purpose of the literary or story recount is to tell a sequence of events so that it entertains. So, its purpose is to inform or entertain by retelling past events or experience. The types of recount can be personal, factual and imaginative recount.

Textual Resources

Sentence Pattern

PATTERN TIME ADVERBIAL

• S + V2 + O/Adverb Yesterday
• S+ did not V1+ O/ Adverb Last …….
• Did + S + V1+ O/ Adverb …..ago
• at that time
• in……..(year)
• To be: was, were

Function : To express an activity that is done in a single time in the past.

When and While

While we were walking inside someone came in and they were talking very softly ….
When the time came for us to go down again we were going across the road …

The pattern is used to indicate two conditions or events that occur at the same time.

When is used to talk about something that occurs in shorter duration than the condition described in the clause.
Sentence (commonly in past continuous tense) + when + Sentence (commonly in past tense)
Example :
Linda was reading a newspaper when I came home.
The students were discussing the lesson when the teacher arrived at the class

While is used to talk about something that occurs in an equal or longer duration than the condition stated in the main clause.
Sentence (commonly in past tense) + while + Sentence (commonly in past continuous tense)
Examples:
Dania studied while she was listening to the radio.

While is also used to talk about something that occurs in the same time and duration the condition stated in the main clause
Sentence (commonly in past continuous tense) + while + Sentence (commonly in past continuous tense)
Examples:
I was ironing my clothes while my little sisters were sweeping the floor. Note: Sometimes when can be used in place of while, but while can’t be used in place of when

The Indefinite Pronouns

While we were walking inside someone came in and they were talking very softly but it in fact made a loud echo.
The word someone is called Indefinite pronouns. Here is the explanation
Note: Sometimes when can be used in place of while, but while can’t be used in place of when

A. The Pattern
1. For positive sentences
Something, somebody, someone, somewhere
Everything , everybody, everyone, everywhere

2. For negative sentences
Nothing, nobody, no one, nowhere

3. For negative and interrogative
Anything, anybody, anyone, anywhere

Summary:
Form -thing -body -one -where
( + ) Some- something somebody someone Somewhere
( + ) Every- everything everybody everyone Everywhere
( - ) No- Nothing nobody No one Nowhere
( -/? ) Any- anything anybody anyone anywhere

Sentence connectors

Sentence connectors are certain words used to connect between a sentence to the other sentence or between paragraphs to paragraph. The examples, among others, are:
First, at first
Second, secondly
Next
Then
After that, afterwards
Later
When
Thus
Finally

Examples and structures of the text

Our trip to the Merapi Mountain

Orientation

On Friday we went to the Merapi Mountains. We stayed at Paijo and Tuti’s house. It has a big garden with lots of colourful flowers and a tennis court.

Events

On Saturday we saw the Three Sisters and went on the scenic railway. It was scary. Then, Mummy and I went shopping with Tuti. We went to some antique shops and I tried on some old hats.
On Sunday we went on the Scenic Skyway and it rocked. We saw cockatoos having a shower.

Reorientation

In the afternoon we went home..