What Is an Explanatory Text? A Comprehensive Guide for Vietnamese Speakers

Are you looking for a clear understanding of explanatory texts? This article provides a comprehensive guide, tailored for Vietnamese speakers, covering definitions, characteristics, methods, and writing tips. Explore CAUHOI2025.EDU.VN for more detailed information.

1. Understanding Explanatory Texts

1.1. What is Explanation?

According to Phan Van Cac’s Sino-Vietnamese Dictionary, “thuyết minh” (explanation) means to clearly explain, introduce, or describe a problem, object, event, or phenomenon in life. It also means providing instructions on how to use something. Explanations commonly come in two forms: spoken and written.

Spoken explanations directly clarify issues using conversational language. They can also involve translating different languages to ensure understanding.

Written explanations are presented in explanatory texts, which can be saved and reused. These texts are widely used across various fields.

1.2. What is an Explanatory Text?

An explanatory text is a common type of writing used to provide knowledge about the nature, characteristics, causes, and other aspects of objects, events, or phenomena in nature and society. This is achieved through presentation, introduction, and explanation.

Unlike narrative, descriptive, or argumentative texts, explanatory texts do not aim to recreate, tell stories, express emotions, or argue points. Instead, they objectively and truthfully provide knowledge about natural and social phenomena without incorporating imagination, exaggeration, or personal opinions.

Explanatory texts are commonly used in situations such as:

• Describing a dish, scenic spot, or historical site.
• Explaining the life of a historical figure.
• Describing natural phenomena.

Explanatory texts are widely used in everyday life (Illustrative image)

2. Characteristics and Properties of Explanatory Texts

Understanding the characteristics of explanatory texts is crucial to differentiate them from other types of writing and use them appropriately. These texts possess the following characteristics:

• Common Usage: Explanatory texts are widely used in daily life, providing readers with objective knowledge about issues, events, and phenomena in society.
• Broad Scope: They have a broad scope of application in everyday situations.
• Accuracy and Objectivity: Explanatory texts demand accuracy and objectivity. All information presented must be free from personal opinions. Writers need to thoroughly research the subject matter before presenting it. The result is beneficial knowledge for the reader, equipping them with additional information.
• Concise and Clear Language: The language used is concise, easy to understand, clear, precise, and polite. Avoid lengthy, ambiguous, or abstract language.

3. Methods of Explanation

To write an effective explanatory text, it is essential to understand the various methods of explanation. You can use one or a combination of the following methods to make your text more engaging:

3.1. Definition and Explanation Method

This method involves defining or explaining a concept, object, event, or phenomenon.

For example, defining the term “crime” based on Clause 1, Article 8 of the 2015 Penal Code:

A crime is an act dangerous to society, defined in the Penal Code, committed intentionally or unintentionally by a person with criminal responsibility or a commercial legal entity, infringing upon the independence, sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland; infringing upon the political regime, economic regime, culture, national defense, security, social order, social safety, the rights and legitimate interests of organizations; infringing upon human rights, the rights and legitimate interests of citizens; infringing upon other areas of the socialist social legal order, which, according to the provisions of this Code, must be criminally handled.

3.2. Listing Method

This method involves listing the aspects, parts, characteristics, or dimensions of the subject matter in a specific order. This provides the reader with a comprehensive and objective view of the subject.

For example, you can use the listing method to describe different types of crimes. Crimes can be categorized into four types: less serious crimes, serious crimes, very serious crimes, and especially serious crimes.

3.3. Providing Examples Method

This method involves providing practical and vivid examples to give the reader a more precise and concrete understanding of the subject. It also increases persuasiveness, making the reader trust the information presented.

3.4. Comparison Method

The comparison method is used to highlight and emphasize a phenomenon or object. You can compare the phenomenon with other similar ones. This helps the reader easily visualize the subject and gain a more comprehensive perspective.

3.5. Classification and Analysis Method

This method involves classifying or dividing the subject matter into parts based on its characteristics. This helps the reader understand the subject in more detail.

3.6. Using Statistics Method

This is a widely used method in explanatory texts. Presenting numerical data helps make the issue more concrete and persuasive, highlighting the characteristics and role of the subject.

For example, when discussing the situation of drug-related crimes, you need to provide specific and accurate statistics to increase credibility and persuasiveness. These statistics can be collected from various reliable sources.

When explaining a subject, event, or object, it’s common to combine multiple methods to meet the requirements of presentation, introduction, or explanation.

You can combine multiple explanation methods (Illustrative image)

4. Elements to Interweave in Explanatory Texts

To make an explanatory text more engaging, you can interweave various elements and literary forms.

4.1. Combining Rhetorical Devices

To make the text more vivid, concrete, and engaging, you can add rhetorical devices such as metaphors, metonymy, personification, and similes. These devices help the reader better understand the subject and prevent the text from being dry or boring.

4.2. Descriptive Elements

Description involves recreating the object, making it vivid with details about its shape, size, mass, color, sound, etc., as it exists in life. This helps the reader visualize it concretely and vividly.

Using description in explanatory texts helps make the phenomenon or object more authentic, clear, and objective. The colors, lines, sounds, or smells from the description help the reader fully perceive it more clearly and authentically.

5. Detailed Guide to Writing an Explanatory Text

5.1. Understanding the General Structure

The structure of an explanatory text is generally consistent. The structure must be appropriate for the internal relationship of the subject, its surrounding environment, and the cognitive process of humans. Explanatory texts have the following structural forms:

• Chronological structure
• Spatial structure
• Logical structure based on the object of explanation and the reader’s perception
• Mixed structure

Arranging ideas in an explanatory text is crucial. The subject of explanation is diverse, so the arrangement of ideas is also diverse. When arranging ideas, it is important to base it on the type of explanatory text to have an appropriate arrangement. Some basic ways to arrange ideas are as follows:

• Arrangement by sequence: Characteristics – structure – function. This arrangement is suitable for explanatory texts about objects.
• Arrangement by sequence: Characteristics – structure – appearance and stages of development in history. This arrangement is suitable for explaining objects associated with the cultural traditions of the nation.
• Arrangement by spatial characteristics (left, right, front, back). This arrangement is suitable for explanatory texts about scenic spots.
• Arrangement by sequence of tasks: Raw materials – processing method – requirements for the finished product. This is often applied to cases introducing methods or how-to guides.

5.2. Requirements for Writing Explanatory Texts

When composing an explanatory text, pay attention to the following requirements:

• When starting to write an explanatory text about a problem or phenomenon in life, first observe the object or phenomenon to learn about its nature and characteristics.
• Grasp the characteristics and nature of the object or phenomenon to be explained.
• In the writing process, highlight the main characteristics of the object or phenomenon to be explained so that the transmission of information to the reader is as quick and easy to understand as possible.
• The explanatory text should reflect the objects, phenomena, etc., in a truthful, objective, and accurate manner.

5.3. Steps to Write an Explanatory Text

• Step 1: Identify the Object of Explanation

  At this step, you need to:

  • Collect, record, and select materials for the article.
  • Choose an appropriate method of explanation.
  • Use precise and easy-to-understand language to highlight the basic characteristics of the object.

• Step 2: Create a Detailed Outline

• Step 3: Write the Complete Explanatory Text

  Similar to other types of writing, writing an explanatory text is divided into three parts:

  • Introduction: Introduce the object of explanation.
  • Body: Present the structure, characteristics, benefits, uses, etc., of the specific object.
  • Conclusion: Present your attitude towards the object.

This guide provides a comprehensive explanation of explanatory texts. If you have any further questions, please visit CAUHOI2025.EDU.VN for assistance. Our address is 30 P. Khâm Thiên, Thổ Quan, Đống Đa, Hà Nội, Việt Nam, and you can contact us at +84 2435162967.

FAQ: Explanatory Texts

• What is the main purpose of an explanatory text?
  The main purpose is to provide clear and objective information about a topic.
• What are some common methods used in explanatory texts?
  Common methods include definition, listing, examples, comparison, classification, and statistics.
• How can I make my explanatory text more engaging?
  Use rhetorical devices and descriptive elements to make your text more vivid and interesting.
• What is the importance of accuracy in an explanatory text?
  Accuracy is crucial to ensure the reader receives reliable and trustworthy information.
• How do explanatory texts differ from argumentative texts?
  Explanatory texts focus on providing information, while argumentative texts aim to persuade the reader.
• Where can I find reliable information for my explanatory text?
  Look for credible sources such as academic journals, government websites (.gov, .edu), and reputable news organizations in Vietnam.
• How should I structure my explanatory text?
  A typical structure includes an introduction, body paragraphs with supporting details, and a conclusion.
• What is the role of examples in an explanatory text?
  Examples help illustrate abstract concepts and make the information more understandable.
• Why is it important to use clear and concise language?
  Clear language ensures the reader can easily understand the information being presented.
• Can I use personal opinions in an explanatory text?
  No, explanatory texts should be objective and avoid personal opinions.

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