CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

a.

Definition of writing in general

English, as a language subject has four skills. They are speaking, listening, reading

and writing. Writing is the most difficult subject in the school since the students have to
produce a text by using English. In writing, the students need to acquire those first to make
sure what they want to write. They have to write about what they think in their mind and state
it on a paper by using the correct procedure.
Harmer (2004) states that writing is a process and that we write is often heavily
influenced by constraints of genres, then these elements have to be presented in learning
activities.
Writing is a powerful tool to organize events and make them manageable. Writing is
really a form of thinking using the written word. From the definitions above we can conclude
that writing is a way to produce language that comes from our thought. It is written on a
paper or a computer screen.
b.

Definition of Anecdote Text

Anecdote is a text which retells funny and unusual incidents in fact or imagination.
Its purpose is to entertain the readers.
Generic Structure of Anecdote
1. Abstract
2. Orientation
3. Crisis
4. Incident/Reaction
5. Coda (Optional)

: signals the retelling of an unusual incident

: sets the scene (when and where)
: provides details of the unusual incident
: reaction to crisis
: reflection on or evaluation of the incident

Language Feature of Anecdote :

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Using exclamation words; its awful!, its wonderful!, etc.

Using imperative; listen to this
Using rhetoric question; do you know what?
Using action verb; go, write, etc.
Using simple past tense
CHAPTER 2
DISCUSSION

a. Concept of Anecdote Text

An anecdote is a type of spoken or written text that deals with past incidents. The
function is to retell story of unusual or amusing incident. The incident happened in the past.
The purposes are sharing with others an usual or amusing incident and entertaining others.
The generic structure of anecdote text usually has five components and one is optional:
1. Abstract, 2. Orientation, 3. Crisis, 4. Reaction and 5. Coda(optional)
b. Model of Anecdote Text
A Young Businessman
There was a young businessman who was driving a new released car. Suddenly, an
accident happened and caused his car door apart. He was shocked and shouted, Police,
police, my car door was broken! The police replied, Are you stupid or crazy? Your hand is
broken because of this accident, why do you worry about the door? The young executive
shouted, my hands broke?? Oh my God, where my Rolex? where is my expensive watch? I
just spent half my salary last month to buy the watch! The police just shut up and did not say
anything.
c. Analyzing of the text
Abstract

: What would you think if there was a young businessmen got an

accident?

Orientation : There was a young businessman who was driving a new released car.
Crisis

: Suddenly, an accident happened and caused his car door apart. He was
shocked and

shouted, Police, police, my car door was broken! The

police replied, Are you stupid or crazy? Your hand is broken because
of this accident, why do you worry about the door? The young
executive shouted, my hands broke?? Oh my God, where my Rolex? where
is my expensive watch? I just spent half my salary last month to buy the
watch!
Incident

: The police just shut up and did not say anything

d. Anecdote Text of the group

Talk Less Do More!

Outside a small mosque after praying, there were two Ustadz having a conversation,
Ust. Sosmed and Ust. Gaul. They were talking about the effect of cigarette for health. Ust.
Sosmed said,Look! By showing Ust. Gaul the box of cigarette. It causes many diseases for
our health. It may kill you! Then he said, Cigarettes are Haram! and he added, Why are
you still smoking a cigarette? Without any expression on Ust. Gauls face, he said, Talk less
do more! Then he took his match from his pocket, pull out a cigarette and put it on his
mouth, Lets burn the cigarette!
Analyzing of the text
Abstract

: How would you think if there is an ustadz smoking?

Orientation

: Outside a small mosque after praying, there are two Ustadz having a
conversation, Ust. Sosmed and Ust. Gaul.

Crisis

: They are talking about the effect of cigarette for health. Ust. Sosmed
said,Look! By showing Ust. Gaul the box of cigarette. It causes many
disease for our health. It may kill you!

Incident

: Then he said, Cigarettes are Haram! and he added, Why are you still
smoking a cigarette?

Coda

: Without any expression on Ust. Gauls face, he said, Talk less do more!
Then he took his match from his pocket, pull out a cigarette and put it on his
mouth, Lets burn the cigarette!

e. Similarities and Differences between Anecdote and Spoof Text

3

Differences
Anecdote Text

Spoof Text

Definition : is a text which retells

is a text which tells factual story

funny and unusual incidents in fact or

imagination
Generic Structure
Abstract
Orientation
Crisis
Reaction
Coda (Optional)

Orientation
Events
Twist
Similarities

Anecdote Text
Spoof Text
Language
Focusing on people, animals or
Using exclamation words ( Its
Using past form
certain things
awful )
Entertaining readers
Many action verbs (slept, went, took)

CHAPTER III
Conclusion and Teaching Suggestions
a.

Conclusion
Anecdote is one of the texts which retells an unusual incident. Communicative

purpose of this text is to retell an unusual and funny incident to entertain the readers. Like
other texts, anecdote also has the generic structure. Abstract, orientation, crisis, reaction and
coda. The first is abstract, here the writer starts to introduce an unusual incident that will be
told briefly. Then, in orientation part, the writer will tell who, when and where that incident
4

was happened. Next, in crisis part, the writer tells the incidents more detail. The part of
reaction is where the writer will tell how the characters solve the problem and usually the
readers or listeners get the funny way to solve the problem. The last part is, coda. This is an
optional part. Sometimes it appears, sometimes not. In this part, the readers usually laugh
louder.
b. Teaching Suggestions
An anecdote is a short, interesting or amusing story about a real person or event.
They are a great way of learning English, they are fun, entertaining and whether you are
listening to them or telling them, they offer a real chance to practice language.
There are loads of ways you can use them in your class. You need a good source of stories
you can use. Everybody has their own life stories and funny things that have happened to
them.
1. Anecdote homework
Tell to students in your own words and explain to students that for homework, they
have to find an anecdote to share with their partner in the next session.

2.

Anecdote reading and telling

Find two good anecdotes and print them out. Put your students into pairs and pass
one the first story and the second to the other. Ask the students to read the anecdotes
and understand what they mean. When both students have finished, ask them to turn
over their anecdotes so they cant read them. Now students have to tell the anecdotes
to each other from memory.

3. Finish the anecdote.

Get your students to read it and guess the ending.
(Taken from ELC study zone )

CHAPTER IV
References

http://freeenglishcourse.info/what-is-anecdote/

http://english-univet.blogspot.co.id/2012/06/anecdote-text.html

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/anecdote