Analysing texts: useful functions

Analysing texts: Useful functions on the web-site for teachers and learners of English as a secondary language from a German point of view

Table of Contents Analysing texts:
Useful functions HOMEPAGE back to
Analysing texts:
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Westside story

Analysing texts: Useful functions

Steps Functions Expressions

1. Kind of text :
What sort of text is it?
The text "(heading)" is a * about (main idea)

*sort of texts: narration, description, advertisement, report, brochure, instruction manual, conversation, dialogue, discussion, interview, song, poem, cartoon, photograph, letter, comic, story, fairy tale, short story

2. Contents:
What does the text tell us?
This*is about 1)
The 2) tells the (3) about 1)
reports on (1)
deals with (1)

(1) the question wh.., the problem of ....ing, the statement that.., the idea that , the vision of..., the situation of ..., the advantages and disadvantages of ..., the conflict / the comparison / the relationship between ... and ....,

(2) narrator, author, advertiser, reporter, persons, interviewer, song writer, poet, cartoonist, photographer, letter writer, story-teller,

3) the reader, the listener, us, the viewer,

3. Setting:
Where and when does the action take place?
The setting of the * is in (4) / near (4)
The action takes place in (5) / during the time when (5) in an atmosphere of (6)

places: (4) at a school, in Sydney, in Australia,

time: (5) in the morning of a bright day, in July, in 1999,

atmosphere: in an atmosphere of (6) peacefulness, calmness, in an unfriendly / friendly / tense / hostile atmosphere, in the .. world of

4. Characters:
Who are the main / minor characters?
The main characters are (7) because...
X is a person who seems to me to be ...
There are some details in the text which show that X is (7)
In line ... he/she says/reacts in a (5) way.
His/her feelings/reasons/ motives are (8)
I don't find X likeable because...
I don't think X is very convincing because...
His/her behaviour seems to change in the course of the story.
The story might have ended differently if X..
(7) clever - stupid, interesting - boring, lazy -

hard-working, difficult - simple, honest - dishonest,

sensible - careless, strong - weak, fair - unfair, friendly -

unfriendly, independent - dependent, happy - unhappy,

lucky - unlucky

(8) realistic, understandable, hard to understand

5. Plot:
Into how many parts can the text be divided?
Find a heading to each paragraph.
Is there a development (beginning, climax, turning point, ending) ?
The text can be divided into ... parts.
The first part is about...
The turning point / the climax is reached when
The happy ending is (isn't) surprising because....
I find the plot of the story (8)
The story is told from ........'s point of view.
The story shows some positive/ negative aspects of ......

(8) great, interesting, exciting, terrific, sad, awful, funny, simple, realistic, far-fetched, absurd,

6. Message:
(The author's point of view):
What are the main points?
What's the problem?
Which solution is suggested or formulated?
(2) mentions.../ presents.../ attempts to catch.../ voices his/her..
The main points are..... In line .... it says for example that..
The beginning / climax/ ending is (isn't) surprising (at all).
Some questions can't be answered for example why ......

7. Your point of view
(Your opinion)
What do you think about the text? Give reasons.:
Which impressions do you have? Give quotations.
What's your view of the matter?
I find the * (9) because it reminds me of ...
My first impression was that ......., but later ....
In my opinion the *is right when he/she says that .....
So all in all I liked/enjoyed the * because it gave me the idea that I could see the (11) in the same way./So all in all I disliked the * because I would feel, act differently.
(10) good, great, interesting, exciting, terrific, sad, awful, funny, simple, realistic, far-fetched, absurd
(11) the question, the problem of ....ing, the statement that.., the idea that ..., the vision of..., the situation of ..., the advantages and disadvantages of ..., the solution to the conflict the relationship between .. and ....

Table of Contents Analysing texts:
Useful functions HOMEPAGE back to
Analysing texts: Useful expressions go on to
Westside story

Steps	Functions	*Expressions*
1. Kind of text : What sort of text is it?	The text "(heading)" is a * about (main idea)	*sort of texts: narration, description, advertisement, report, brochure, instruction manual, conversation, dialogue, discussion, interview, song, poem, cartoon, photograph, letter, comic, story, fairy tale, short story
2. Contents: What does the text tell us?	This*is about 1) The 2) tells the (3) about 1) reports on (1) deals with (1)	(1) the question wh.., the problem of ....ing, the statement that.., the idea that , the vision of..., the situation of ..., the advantages and disadvantages of ..., the conflict / the comparison / the relationship between ... and ...., (2) narrator, author, advertiser, reporter, persons, interviewer, song writer, poet, cartoonist, photographer, letter writer, story-teller, 3) the reader, the listener, us, the viewer,
3. Setting: Where and when does the action take place?	The setting of the * is in (4) / near (4) The action takes place in (5) / during the time when (5) in an atmosphere of (6)	places: (4) at a school, in Sydney, in Australia, time: (5) in the morning of a bright day, in July, in 1999, atmosphere: in an atmosphere of (6) peacefulness, calmness, in an unfriendly / friendly / tense / hostile atmosphere, in the .. world of
4. Characters: Who are the main / minor characters?	The main characters are (7) because... X is a person who seems to me to be ... There are some details in the text which show that X is (7) In line ... he/she says/reacts in a (5) way. His/her feelings/reasons/ motives are (8) I don't find X likeable because... I don't think X is very convincing because... His/her behaviour seems to change in the course of the story. The story might have ended differently if X..	(7) clever - stupid, interesting - boring, lazy - hard-working, difficult - simple, honest - dishonest, sensible - careless, strong - weak, fair - unfair, friendly - unfriendly, independent - dependent, happy - unhappy, lucky - unlucky (8) realistic, understandable, hard to understand
5. Plot: Into how many parts can the text be divided? Find a heading to each paragraph. Is there a development (beginning, climax, turning point, ending) ?	The text can be divided into ... parts. The first part is about... The turning point / the climax is reached when The happy ending is (isn't) surprising because.... I find the plot of the story (8) The story is told from ........'s point of view. The story shows some positive/ negative aspects of ......	(8) great, interesting, exciting, terrific, sad, awful, funny, simple, realistic, far-fetched, absurd,
6. Message: (The author's point of view): What are the main points? What's the problem? Which solution is suggested or formulated?	(2) mentions.../ presents.../ attempts to catch.../ voices his/her.. The main points are..... In line .... it says for example that.. The beginning / climax/ ending is (isn't) surprising (at all). Some questions can't be answered for example why ......
7. Your point of view (Your opinion) What do you think about the text? Give reasons.: Which impressions do you have? Give quotations. What's your view of the matter?	I find the * (9) because it reminds me of ... My first impression was that ......., but later .... In my opinion the is right when he/she says that ..... So all in all I liked/enjoyed the because it gave me the idea that I could see the (11) in the same way./So all in all I disliked the * because I would feel, act differently.	(10) good, great, interesting, exciting, terrific, sad, awful, funny, simple, realistic, far-fetched, absurd (11) the question, the problem of ....ing, the statement that.., the idea that ..., the vision of..., the situation of ..., the advantages and disadvantages of ..., the solution to the conflict the relationship between .. and ....