Recount Text

Recount is a text which retells events or experiences in the past. Its purpose is either to inform or to entertain the audience. There is no complication among the participants and that differentiates from narrative. A recount text has an orientation, a series of events in chronological order, personal remarks on the events, and a reorientation that “rounds off” the sequence of events. 

In the text, you will find words and phrases used to start, connect a sentence with the next one, and end your composition. Recount texts tell a series of events and evaluate their significance in some way.

Recount Text

Generic Structure of Recount

Generic Structure of Recount

1. Orientation: Introducing the participants, place and time

2. Events: Describing series of event that happened in the past

3. Reorientation: It is optional. Stating personal comment of the writer to the story.

Language Feature of Recount

Language Feature of Recount

• Introducing personal participant; I, my group, etc

• Using chronological connection; then, first, etc

• Using linking verb; was, were, saw, heard, etc

• Using action verb; look, go, change, etc

• Using simple past tense

Social function

to retell events for the purpose of informing or entertaining

When writing recounts you should:

1. Focus on individual people i.e. use the words, I or we 
2. Use words which indicate when (e.g. after lunch) and where the events took place (e.g. in the shed) 
3. Write in the past tense e.g. had, visited 
4. Use action words e.g. helped, crutched.