In our life, time goes by until some of us die. We surely go through this life passing the time. During the whole of life, we have many happened experiences that we left behind. Sometimes we remember those experiences and sometimes we forget about them. In fact, we keep some of the events in our memory. They become our unforgettable experiences. Some are nice and some are bad experiences.
What is Recount?
A recount is a type of spoken or written text that deals with past experiences. The function is to retell some events that happened in the past for certain purposes; to inform and or to entertain the listeners or readers. A recount text has a generic structure, having three components (one is optional). They are: (1) Orientation, (2) Events and (3) Reorientation ( optional).
Recounts are principally not the same as Narratives although both talk about past events. Narratives deal with problematic events which lead to a crisis or turning point which in turn finds a resolution while recounts do not have to come to a serious crisis or complication.
A. Generic Structure of Recount Text
1. Orientation : an introduction that provides the setting and introduces participant
2. Events : account that tells what happened, in a sequence
· Event 1
· Event 2
· Event 3
· Etc
3. Reorientation (optional) : Closing of events
B. Generic Features of Recount text
1. The recount focuses on a sequence of events all of which relate to a particular occasion
2. It introduces specific participants
3. frequent uses of Simple Past Tense
4. Past continuous tense is sometimes used
5. Temporal sequencers are also used in the sentences to show the events. They are listed below:
· Before
· After
· When
· While
· … until …
· During …
· As …
· At that time …
· At that moment …
· After that …
· After then …
· Firstly …
· Secondly …
· Finally
Etc
Now read this text!
Title
How could I Hide my face?
Orientation:
One afternoon a month ago, I was very hungry. As I didn’t cook anything to eat lunch, I decided to go to a café about a hundred meters from my boarding house.
Events:
I changed my trousers and shirt then left for the café by myself because my roommate hadn’t come yet from the school. As soon as I got to the café, I ordered the meal with fresh vegetable soup that seemed very delicious in the hot day, and also a glass of tea. When they were served, I ate up eagerly the meal and soup and drank the tea. I was satisfied and it was the time to pay. I grabbed my trousers pocket and I was shocked. My hands didn’t feel there was any wallet there. I felt so embarrassed that I didn’t dare to see the faces of the customers. My body stayed still on the chair and began sweating.
I tried to control myself in front of the people. I collected my courage to come to the cashier to say something. Feeling uneasy, I told her that I left my wallet in the other trousers at the boarding house and promised to take it and come back soon. Some customers looked at me. I thought I must hide my face. She nodded and said it was not a matter.
Reorientation:
Finally, I ran to the house and got back with the money. I gave it to her and came out of the café. What a relief! It should not happen again to me
Read this Recount text!
Last Idul Fitri
Last Idul Fitri on the first day following Romadhon, all the family woke up early to break our fast. First we prayed together and then we ate the special meal prepared by mum and our aunties.
Around 10 am some family members came to visit, and later after lunch we visited all our neighborhood friends. We each asked to be forgiven for any transgressions in the past year.
On the second and third day, we went to our grandparent’s house. We asked for their forgiveness also, and spend a relaxing time visiting other relatives and nearby tourist sites such as the beach and few temples.
note: this passage tells us about a past events of writer that is told chronologically
To make it clear, please remember the concept or recount below:
RECOUNT
Recounts tell the reader what happened. They retell a past event e.g. a visit to a farm two months ago.
Recounts begin by telling the reader who was involved, what happened, where this event tool place and when it happened. This is called the orientation.
The sequence of events is then described in some sort of order e.g. time.
There may be a reorientation at the end which summarizes the event.
Writing recount:
When writing a recounts you should:
· Focus on individual people, i.e. use the words, “I”, or “we”
· Use words which indicate when, (e.g. after lunch) and where the events took place (e.g. in the afternoon)
· Write it in the past tense
· Use action verbs e.g. helped, walked, enjoyed
Sources:
Cahyono, Kristiawan Dwi and Eka Purnama.2006. Communicative Competence 2B: A course in Acquiring English Communicative Competence, For Senior High School Level, Grade XI Semester 2. Jombang: CV Karunia Agung
Mufarichah, Yulia, Zumakhsin. 2007. Progress: A contextual Approach to Learning English. An English Textbook for Senior High School. Ganeca Exact: Bandung
Sudarwati and Eudia Grace.2007. Look Ahead: An English Course for Senior High School Students Year XI, Science and Social Study Program. Jakarta: Erlangga
