Understanding Caption Text, Types of Caption Text, & Examples of Caption Text – Nowadays, almost everyone can access social media, from Facebook, Twitter to Instagram. There are tons of photos uploaded on social media every day. You must be familiar with the writing under these photos, the writing is referred to as caption text. Caption text is a short text that is used to complete an image. Writing captions that are embedded under photos or pictures are usually written with a mature mind so that the upload can be liked by people who see it.
In addition to explaining what is meant by caption text , the writing below will also explain the function of caption text , its characteristics and examples of practice questions and answers.
Definition of Caption Text
Caption text is a short text that is used to complete an image. Caption text appears usually under pictures, photos, graphics, posters and even tables.
The short text serves to describe what is in the image. Captions are usually also used as an emphasis on the content of articles, essays or reports. Sinaumedia has a book called Jurus Sakti Copywriting on Twitter, Facebook and Blog written by Jubilee Enterprise, in this book you will be taught to write captions, tweets, statuses, headlines, and many more effectively and efficiently.
Captions can also come in two languages, one mother tongue and the second using a second language. For example Indonesian and English. If you see a picture without a caption, it might feel like you’re watching something without hearing the sound.
We cannot know what the image is trying to convey, so we can only interpret the meaning of the image ourselves.
All caption text has at least two sentences. The first sentence is present tense and explains what happened to the picture by answering as many as 5W ( what, when, where, why, who ).
The second sentence is the past tense or past tense and describes the background or situation that is behind the picture. In addition, write down as much information as possible and don’t write information that is not clear. The focus is on telling stories and providing new and interesting information to readers.
The third sentence should be a quote that completes the story in the picture. Readers love it a lot because it makes each image unique. The quote can come from the person in the picture, a witness, or people involved in activities with that person.
Types of Caption Text
Caption text also has several types, namely:
1. Identification
This type of caption text is usually used to describe or identify everyone in the photo, but does not explain a story. The focus on caption text for this type of identification is clarity.
2. Group Captions
Group Captions are usually used to describe multiple images. This caption should have at least two sentences per image and include quotes where possible. The group caption must be clear about which image each description describes.
3. Story-Telling Captions
Story-telling captions are the ideal type of caption and should be used whenever possible. This type of caption will tell a story behind the image. By using this type of caption it will usually be more interesting to read.
4. Summary
For this type of caption summary , it usually contains an explanation of the subject in the picture, the activities carried out in the picture, the time of the incident, the location of the incident and the reasons why the activity was carried out.
5. Quotes
Quote caption means that it contains a sentence quote from someone in the picture.
6. Cutlines
Cutline type captions are the ones most often found in pictures and writings printed on newspapers and media, both offline and online media. Caption cutlines explain the subject in the image and what the subject is doing.
7.Expanded
The type of expanded caption is the type of caption that has the most complete information. In accordance with the type name, this expanded caption text is the development of the previous text, especially from the summary caption .
Language Elements of Caption Text
Caption text in English can actually be written using any sentence, but it is better for caption text to be written in simple present tense sentences . This is because simple present tense sentences are easier for readers to understand, so the message will be easily conveyed.
Generic Structured Caption Text
Caption text, although it is a very short type of text, also has a generic structure like other texts. The following is the generic structure of the caption text .
- title
- leads
- section headings
How to Write Caption Text
There are several tips on how to write a good caption text. Here’s how to write caption text.
1. Accuracy
You have to know what you want to convey. Don’t write down or make judgments about the mood or moods of the people in the picture.
Actually, you can just write the emotion or mood on the subject in the picture, but you have to confirm it directly with the source. In addition, pay attention to the actions taken by the subject or those around the subject.
2. Don’t Get Too Real
Avoid phrases that tell the reader about very obvious actions, such as shaking hands, looking, gestures, chatting and so on. This is of course visible to the readers. Caption text that is too real like, ‘Director A and Director B are shaking hands’, or ‘High School Principal J is looking at the computer pointed at by teacher B’.
3. Avoid Cliches
Avoid cliches or trite words. Avoid using words that describe actions with feelings, such as joy, rejoice, jump happily, clap your hands happily, and so on.
4. Show the subject of the photo
Don’t show the subject of the photo in a way that sounds like talking to the subject like “Hey Joe, what are you doing in front of that building?” “Hey Jane, where are you right now?” and so forth.
5. Language Style
Actually, the language style can be adjusted according to the image shown. For example, a funny styled photo can be given a funny text caption as well. Photos that are serious or like tables and graphs must be given serious text captions too.
In its application in content, text captions can be used to attract more customer attention when they want to buy a product or service. Therefore, in making good caption text you must be able to hone your copywriting skills first so that the advertisements displayed are more attractive. Sinaumedia has the book The Right Way to Master Copywriting: A Successful Building Strategy written by Widya Ariyadi to help you.
6. Identification
Identify all the people who can be seen clearly in an image. If the photo or image contains four or more people and is not a group portrait, identification of each individual is not required, unless one or two people are clearly the center of attention in the photo.
Caption Text function
Writing caption text is not necessarily made just like that, but in making it has several functions, including:
1. As an addition to the credibility of an image or video that is given a caption . That way, the image or video will be perceived as real.
2. As a way to get lots of people interested in watching videos or pictures. In addition, the use of caption text also provides an explanation of the images or videos that have been posted.
3. Complete information from photos or images that have been published on social media or print media. With caption text , readers will easily understand the intent of the video or image.
Example of Caption Text
Here is an example of caption text :
1) Identification Caption
“Indonesian badminton player wins gold medal in 2021 Olympics.”
Indonesian Badminton Players Win a Gold Medal at the 2021 Olympics.
“Apple founder Steve Jobs in his famous black turtleneck.”
Apple founder Steve Jobs with his famous black turtleneck.
“Hollywood actress Robert Downey jr poses in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.”
Hollywood artist Robert Downey jr poses in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
2) Group Captions
“Beyonce and her daughter were seen in Los Angeles attending a wedding. They both wore pink dresses and were seen entering the venue with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.”
Beyoncé and her daughter were seen in Los Angeles attending a wedding. They both wore pink dresses and were seen entering the venue with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.
“After visiting the iconic Taj Mahal and the famous Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, the Obama family met the representatives of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan on January 20th in Mumbai.”
After visiting the iconic Taj Mahal and the famous Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, the Obamas met Bollywood representative Shah Rukh Khan on January 20 in Mumbai.
“BTS made an appearance at the latest Samsung Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea.”
BTS performing at the latest Samsung Unpacked event in Seoul, South Korea.
“ Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and other marvel stars assemble for an epic class photo in honor of Marvel Studios 10th Anniversary in New York.”
Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and a cast of extra-ordinary stars got together for a group photo to celebrate Marvel Studios’ 10th Anniversary in New York.
“American athletes Henry Frank (weightlifting), Kate Willson (swimmer), Natalie Portman (softball), Sally Pearson (hurdling), Jessica Watson (swimmer), Mitchell Potter, and Craig David (both athletics) will wear the American jersey with pride in London.”
American athletes Henry Frank (weightlifter), Kate Willson (swimmer), Natalie Portman (softball), Sally Pearson (hurdles), Jessica Watson (swimmer), Mitchell Potter and Craig David (both track and field) will wear the American jersey with pride at London .
3) Summary Captions
“This aerial picture shows the graves of victims of the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Okunoin cemetery in Japan on August 7, 2021.”
This aerial image shows the graves of victims of the COVID-19 coronavirus at the Okunoin cemetery in Japan on August 7, 2021.
“A Jakarta Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officer watches over the morning exercises for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients isolating at the Wisma Atlet in Kemayoran, Center Jakarta, on Sep. 4, 2020. Thousands of COVID-19 patients are dying at home in self-isolation, partly due to a lack of monitoring and medical supplies.”
DKI Jakarta Satpol PP officers oversee morning exercises for asymptomatic COVID-19 patients isolated at the Kemayoran Athlete’s Village, Central Jakarta, on September 4, 2020. Thousands of COVID-19 patients have died at home in self-isolation, partly due to a lack of monitoring and medical supplies.
“A security personnel stands guard at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic and Paralympic Village entrance in Rio de Janeiro on August 3, 2016, ahead of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, which begin on August 5.”
A security personnel stands guard at the entrance of the Rio de Janeiro Paralympic and Olympic Village in Rio de Janeiro on August 3, 2016, ahead of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics which started on August 5′.
4) Quote Captions
‘Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration ‘ – Thomas Edison.
Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.
‘ You must tell yourself, no matter how hard it is, or how hard it gets, I’m going to make it’ – Les Brown
‘I will not lose, for even in defeat, there’s a valuable lesson learned, so it evens up for me’
– Jay Z. .
‘You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean, if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean will not become dirty’ – Mahatma Gandhi.
You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is the ocean, if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean as a whole will not be dirty.
‘Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds you plant’ – Robert Louis.
Do not judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds you sow.
5) Cutline Captions
“Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, the second daughter of Sukarno visits residents of the Luar Batang area of North Jakarta on May 26, 2015.”
Rachmawati Soekarnoputri, Soekarno’s second daughter visited residents of the Outer Batang area, North Jakarta on May 26 2015.
6) Expanded Captions
British journalist Martin Bashir arrives at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria to be the first witness to be called at Michael Jackson’s child sex abuse trial. The BBC was under pressure on May 21, 2021, after unprecedented criticism from the royal family about its 1995 interview with princess Diana, damaging its reputation as it fights attacks on several fronts. (The Jakarta Post).
Now, after knowing how to write captions and examples of captions, have you practiced trying to write more captions?
British journalist Martin Bashir has arrived at Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria to become the first witness called in Michael Jackson’s child sex abuse trial. The BBC came under pressure on 21 May 2021 after unprecedented criticism from the royal family about a 1995 interview with princess Diana, tarnishing her reputation for fighting backlash on several fronts.
Exercise on Caption Text Questions
It will be better if you hone your English skills through practice questions. Below, we will explain some examples of exercises about text captions .
“People walking past blooming tulips in Amsterdam on June 4, 2018”
What kind of caption is that?
2. What is the function of the caption?
What is the function of the caption?
3. According to the caption, when was the photo taken?
According to the caption, when was the photo taken?
4. Where was the location according to the caption?
Where is the location according to the caption?
5. How to say “bloomed”?
What does it mean to “bloom”?
6. “Indonesian President Joko Widodo, in a white shirt, visited the site of a bomb blast at Thamrin Jakarta, Jan 14, 2016”
What is the purpose of the caption?
“President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, dressed in white, visited the site of the bomb explosion in Thamrin Jakarta, 14 January 2016”
What is the purpose of the caption?
7. According to the caption, when was the photo taken?
According to the caption, when was the photo taken?
8. Where was the location according to the caption?
Where is it located, according to the caption?
9. Who is the main subject that is described in the caption?
Who is the main subject described in the caption?
10. What kind of caption is that?
What type of caption is it?
11. “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know that failure is inevitable” – Coco Chanel
Who is the author of the text?
Success is most often achieved by those who do not know that failure is inevitable.” – Coco Chanel
Who is the author of the text?
12. What is the meaning of failure in Indonesia?
What does ‘failure’ mean in Indonesian?
13. What is the purpose of the caption?
What is the purpose of the caption?
14. What is the meaning of inevitable in Indonesia?
What does ‘inevitable’ mean in Indonesian?
15. What kind of caption is that?
What type of caption is it?
Answers to Caption Text Questions
- Summary caption
- to describe the picture
- June 4, 2018
- Amsterdam
- blossom
- To tell the readers what is going on in the picture
- January 14, 2016
- Thamrin, Jakarta
- Indonesian President, Joko Widodo
- Summary caption
- Coco Chanel
- achieved
- To motivate the readers
- unavoidable
- quote caption
Sinaumeds, those are examples of questions and discussions regarding text captions that you should know. If you want to deepen the examples of texts in English and want to add to your knowledge of other languages, Sinaumedia as #Friends Without Borders certainly presents various books and e-books that you can buy at http://sinaumedia.com and https://ebooks.sinaumedia .com/