reconstruct past experiences by retelling events in original sequence.”
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From that purpose, recount is not only retelling about the past events, but it is also informing
the readers about some information that happened and included in the story. It usually can be found in the factual or historical events such as the news about
criminals that happened like in the newspaper or magazine. Here, recount also can entertain the readers by amusing them through the text that has written. The
students could help the readers in imagining an experience by using descriptive
words and phrases to bring the readers into the story with the students.
3. Types of Recount text
Recount text has four types according to Stubbs in her book Targeting Text. Those types are personal recount, procedural recount, factual recount, and
biographical recount. Here is the explanation of those four types of recount text:
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a. Personal Recount
A personal recount retells an activity that the students have experienced. The forms of this recount are letters, diary entries, journals, anecdotes and
postcards. Facts and information are important, but personal responses and comments are also appropriate, particularly in the re-orientation part. The
sequence of events should be selected to add or omit interest and humor. Personal recount is usually written in the first person I, we, and often aim to
entertain as well as inform.
b. Procedural Recount
A procedural recount records the steps taken in completing a task or procedure. This recount can be found in information books, television, and
books that explain how things were made. The use of technical terms, an accurate time sequence and first person I or we give credibility to the
information provided.
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Hyland, op. cit., p. 20.
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Sue Stubbs, Targeting Text: Recount, Information Report, Explanation, Sydney: Blake Education, 2000, p. 8.
c. Factual Recount
A factual recount is concerned with recalling events accurately and evaluated their significance. In factual recount, the text could be represented as everyday
task such as a school accident report to a formal, science experiment, traffic report, sport report. Factual recount emphasizes on the using of language that
is accurate, factual and detailed, so the readers could gain a complete picture of the events, experience or achievement. This recount is usually written in
third person using pronouns he, she and they. It may be written in the passive
voice.
d. Biographical Recount
A biographical recount tells the story of a person’s life using a third person narrator he, she, and they. First person narration I, we could be used in
autobiography. In this recount, it is usually factually accurate and records specific names, times, places, and events.
4. The Structure of Recount Text
