Getting to Know Procedure Text Manual

Hello Fikrierss,

In this post, I want to discuss about one type of text that must be understood by English learner in Indonesia, that is procedure text. Have you learnt this type of text in your school? I am sure most of students that like English lesson have been familiar with this kind of text, right?

When you buy a new TV or a new phone cell, there must be a book instruction in the box. Book instruction is also one of the examples of procedure text. When you want to download something from the internet, there are steps before we do that. Those steps are also procedure text. Then, what is procedure text actually?

Procedure text is a text that explains or helps us how to make or use something. Its social function is to describe how something is completely done through a sequence of steps. Communicative purpose of this text is to describe how something is made through a sequence of actions or steps.

Definition of Procedure Text

There are three definition about procedure text : (1) Texts that explain how something works or how to use instruction / operation manuals e.g. how to use the video, the computer, the tape recorder, the photocopier, the fax. (2) Texts that instruct how to do a particular activity e.g. recipes, rules for games, science experiments, road safety rules. (3) Texts that deal with human behavior, e.g how to live happily, how to succeed

Generic Structure of Procedure Text

a. Goal : (e.g : How to make spaghetti)

b. Material or Ingredient : (e.g : the material to cook omelette are egg, onion, vegetable oil, etc. )

c. Step : (e.g : first, wash the tomatoes, onion, …., second cut the onions becomes slice. . . )

Purpose of Procedure Text

a. To explain/tell (the reader) how to make/operate/do something through a sequence of actions or steps.

b. To explain steps/instruction to make/operate/do something

Language Feature of Procedure Text

a. Use adverbial of sequence / Using temporal conjunction (e.g: first, second, third, the last)

b. Use command / imperative sentence (e.g : put the noodles on the . . ., cut the onion. . ., wash the tomatoes. . . )

c. Using adverbials (Adverbs) to express detail the time, place, manner accurate, for example, for five minutes, 2 hours, etc.

d. Using action verbs, e.g : make, take, boil, cook

e. Using Simple Present Tense