Descriptive Text: Definition, Main Purpose, Structure, and Example

2. The main purpose of a descriptive text

Dari namanya saja, tentu kamu sudah bisa menebak tujuan penulisan teks ini. Jadi, main purpose atau tujuan utama descriptive text adalah memberikan gambaran secara spesifik tentang orang, benda, ataupun tempat tertentu.

Namun, buku Bahasa Inggris Kelas X SMA/MA Semester 2 menyebutkan bahwa jenis tulisan yang satu ini juga kerap dimanfaatkan dalam bidang periklanan, lho. Hal ini tentu gak mengejutkan karena teks deskripsi menyajikan informasi terkait tampak luar sebuah barang dengan detail.

3. Language features of a descriptive text

Teks yang berbeda memiliki karakteristik yang berbeda pula, begitu juga dengan descriptive text. Dikutip dari buku Detik-Detik UNBK Bahasa Inggris oleh Bima, Kurniawati, dan Susiningsih (2017), adapun ciri-ciri descriptive text adalah

• menggunakan kata benda tertentu (misalnya, house, chair, building, food, dan lain-lain);
• menggunakan simple present tense (seperti, Italy has some famous Cities. One of them is Rome);
• menggunakan berbagai macam kata sifat yang bersifat describing (deskripsi), numbering (jumlah), dan classifying (klasifikasi) (misalnya, large, various, numerous, dan approximately);
• menggunakan kata kerja penghubung untuk memberikan informasi tentang subjek (seperti, is, am, are);
• menggunakan kata kerja tindakan (contohnya, visit, grow, walk, serve, dan sebagainya); dan
• menggunakan kata keterangan untuk memberi informasi tambahan (misalnya, on the island Madura).

Dari ciri-ciri tersebut, bisa kita lihat language features atau unsur kebahasaan sebuah descriptive text, yakni

• terdapat noun atau kata benda;
• terdapat adjective atau kata sifat;
• adanya penggunaan simple tense;
• adanya pemakaian action verb atau kata kerja tindakan; dan
• terdapat figurative language atau bahasa kiasan yang memberikan ilustrasi kepada pembaca.

4. The generic structure of a descriptive text

Sebuah descriptive text terdiri atas dua bagian penting, yaitu

• Identification, merupakan bagian yang memperkenalkan kepada pembaca tentang orang, benda, ataupun tempat yang akan dideskripsikan.
• Description, berisi informasi tentang ciri-ciri fisik, perilaku, kualitas, maupun rincian khusus lainnya dari orang, benda, ataupun tempat yang menjadi objek deskripsi.

Supaya lebih paham, kamu bisa melihat contoh descriptive text di bawah ini!

5. Examples of descriptive text

a. BTS V

Introduction:
V is a member of BTS, a South Korean boy group that recently has gone worldwide. "V" is actually his stage name, while his real one is Kim Taehyung.

Description:
Born on December 30, 1995, many people idolize him because of his mesmerizing face. As if everyone was bewitched by his brown eyes and straight nose.

Not to mention, V has a defined jawline making him look so manly. His height is, too, quite ideal, which is around 179 cm. No wonder he was ranked first in the "Top 100 Most Handsome Faces of 2017".

However, besides being head over heels for his amazing visual, some fans are actually fond of V's dancing and singing ability. In BTS, apart from being a Visual, he is also a Lead Dancer and Vocalist.

b. Easter Island

Introduction:
Do you know Easter Island? Well, Easter Island is in the South Pacific, 37,000 kilometers from the coast of Chile. On the island, there are 600 large statues. We don't know who built them, but they were probably constructed between 1150 and 1500 BC. We don't really know why they are there, the Easter Island.

Description:
Norwegian explorer, Thor Heyerdahl, believed that they were built by people from South America. To prove this, he made a simple raft and sailed there, all the way from Peru.

Archaeologists think that the statues represent dead tribal leaders. We don't know why the statues left alone on the island. Perhaps they were killed by disease or war. Perhaps the builders used all the natural resources on the island. There are many unanswered questions about Easter Island.

Dikutip dari Bahasa Inggris Kelas X SMA/MA Semester 2