Checklist – Explanation

Explanations involve the stating of reasons for an activity or process. How? Why?

Structure

Explanations often begin with a brief description of the activity or process.		
How something works is explained
or
reasons for a phenomenon are stated.		
It has a logical sequence of events.		
Cause/effect relationships (then, as a consequence, so, if) are used.		
Time relationships (first, then, following, finally) are used.		
Paragraphing is used.			

Language

The 'timeless' present tense (are, turns, happens) is used.		
Action verbs are used (falls, rises, changes).		
Conjunctions  are used to show time relationships (when, after this, so).		
Passives are used sometimes (is saturated, are changed).		
The nouns  tend to be general rather than specific (cars, boats, spiders, schools).		
Pronouns  are used (their, they, them).		
Non-human participants are used (the sea, the mountains, the computers, the engine).		

Explanation Exemplars