1. Text Structure EQ: How are different texts arranged?
What signals should I watch for to differentiate between styles?
REVISED: Allyson Cook THS October 2009 Pearl River County School District S. Baudoin

2. Texts have a structure…
Texts (even the text in your science and social studies textbooks) have different organizational patterns.
These organizational patterns are called text structures.

3. Signal Words
Text structures can often be identified by certain signal words.

6. Description
This structure resembles an outline. Each section opens with its main idea, then elaborates on it, sometimes dividing the elaboration into subsections.
Questions to Consider:
What are you describing?
What are its qualities?
Graphic Organizers
Bubble Map

7. Description Signal Words
above
across
along
appears to be
as in
behind
below
beside
between
down
in back of
in front of
looks like
near
on top of
onto
outside
over
such as
to the right/left
under

8. Example of Descriptive Text Structure
"The crocodile is the master of deception in the water. It stalks its prey and then swiftly closes in for the kill.”
A book may tell all about whales or describe what the geography is like in a particular region.

9. Sequential Order
Texts that follow this structure tell the order in which steps in a process or series of events occur.
Questions to Consider:
What happened?
What is the sequence of events?
What are the substages?
Graphic Organizers
Flow Map
Multi-flow Map
Timeline

10. Sequential Order Signal Words
after
afterward
as soon as
before
during
finally
first
following
immediately
initally
later
meanwhile
next
not long after
now
on (date)
preceding
second
soon
then
third
today
until
when

11. Example of Sequential Order Text Structure
"Archaeologists have helped us to understand that the evolution of the crocodile began with ...”
A book about the American revolution might list the events leading to the war.
In another book, steps involved in harvesting blue crabs might be told.

12. Compare and Contrast
Texts that follow this structure tell about the differences and similarities of two or more objects, places, events or ideas by grouping their traits for comparison.
Questions to Consider:
What are the similar and different qualities of these things?
What qualities of each thing correspond to one another? In what way?
Graphic Organizers
Double Bubble Map
Venn Diagram

13. Compare and Contrast Signal Words
although
as well as
as opposed to
both
but
compared with
different from
either...or
even though
however
instead of
in common
on the other hand
otherwise
similar to
similarly
still
yet

14. Example of Compare/Contrast Text Structure
"The power of the crocodile is like that of a monstrous machine. With one lunge it can destroy its prey and protect the kill from other predators.”
A book about ancient Greece may explain how the Spartan women were different from the Athenian women.

15. Cause and Effect
In texts that follow this structure, the reader is told the result of an event or occurrence and the reasons it happened.
Questions to Consider:
What are the causes and effects of this event?
What might happen next?
Graphic Organizers
Multi-flow Map

16. Cause and Effect Signal Words
accordingly
as a result of
because
begins with
consequently
effects of
finally
first
for this reason
how to
how
if...then
in order to
is caused by
leads/led to
may be due to
next
so that
steps involved
therefore
thus
when...then

17. Example of Cause and Effect Text Structure
"We observed the crocodile as it stalked a raccoon moving through the moonlight toward the edge of the water. As a result of a noise we made, the raccoon bolted...”
Weather patterns could be given that explain why a big snowstorm occurred.

18. Problem-Solution
The writer presents a problem then expounds upon possible solutions for that problem.
Questions to Consider:
What is the problem?
What are the possible solutions?
Which solution is best?
How will you implement this solution?
Graphic Organizers
Circle Map
Flow Map
Multi-flow Map

19. Problem-Solution Signal Words
the question is
one answer is
one reason for
recommendations include
because
cause
since
therefore
consequently
as a result of
this let to co
so that
nevertheless
accordingly
if then
thus

20. Example of Problem-Solution Text Structure
"One problem to resolve in crocodile watching is transportation. How can an observer get close enough to watch without scaring it away or being attacked?”
“One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become very big and expensive to operate. ”

21. How to Find Text Structure
As a class we will…
Read examples of paragraphs that correspond to each text structure.
Make an outline of the text to find how the text is structured.
Examine topic sentences that clue the reader to a specific structure. Look for the signal words that are associated with each text structure.
Highlight all the signal words in the text.