My pocket guide for

Structure

TEXT

Text structure refers to how an author organizes the material or information in a written text.
Five important text structures: Cause and Effect Comparison and Contrast Sequence Description Problem and Solution

Text structure is essential because it helps readers UNDERSTAND what they read!

What is text structure?

Being organized helps you easily pick out important items from your closet. Right?
Well, understanding how a text is organized helps you easily pick out the authors purpose for writing the text! Text structure helps you MAKE SENSE out of the authors written words!

A text that follows the SEQUENCE text structure might tell: a sequence of events OR a series of steps in a process
(Ex: steps in a recipe or directions)

The information is put IN ORDER!

SEQUENCE Signal Words
now after then as finally when following meanwhile on (date) first, second, before not long after afterward immediately

How Text Structure Helps

Sequence

The descriptive structure might look like an outline or a list.

With the descriptive text structure:
The author describes information about topics, objects, or people. Main ideas are supported by descriptive details. Examples of characteristics are given to support main ideas.

Cause and effect is the relationship between two things when one thing makes

something else happen.

Example: If we eat too much food and do not exercise, we gain weight. Eating food without exercising is the CAUSE. Weight gain is what happens, or the EFFECT. There can be multiple causes and multiple effects. Because of this this happens.

DESCRIPTIVE Signal Words

for example most important in particular in addition for instance such as in fact also, too

Cause/Effect Signal Words

because consequently therefore for this reason so/so that since as a result due to this led to this is how

Descriptive

Cause and Effect

The PROBLEM AND SOLUTION text structure shows the development of a problem and one or more solutions to the problem.
Questions to consider:
Who had the problem and what is the problem? What action (or actions) was taken to solve the problem? What happened as a result of the action(s)?

Comparison-contrast is the process of identifying how things are alike and different.
Comparison refers to how two things are alike. Contrast refers to how the two things are different.

PROBLEM/SOLUTION Signal Words

because of therefore since this led to as a result in order to but ifthen

Problem and Solution

like in contrast however likewise

Comparison/Contrast Signal Words

unlike but both also/too as well as similarly on the other hand

Comparison and Contrast