Text Structure Click here for video

What is text structure? Text structure is the way in which the author has organized the information in the text.

Why is text structure important? Text structure gives readers a specific purpose for reading. Our purpose for reading directly affects our comprehension. The text structure is a signal to our brain to read the text in a certain way.

Why is text structure important? It helps the reader understand what is important in the text. Authors usually organize their text so that readers can clearly see what is important or isn’t important. (With non-fiction, they also use text features to do this.)

Why is text structure important? Knowing the text structure helps readers retell and summarize the text. Readers can use the text structure to guide their summarization.

Why is text structure important? Summarize what you just learned. 1. 2. 3.

5 Common Text Structures

Sequence The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order. Describes the order of events or how to do or make something. What do numerical and chronological mean? First event Second Event Third Event Fourth Event

You might see words like this in sequential texts: Clues You might see words like this in sequential texts: First, second, third Next Then After Before Prior to Not long after While, meanwhile Simultaneously At the same time Following Finally At last In the end On (date) At (time) Directions Timeline 1 2 3 4 5 Steps/Directions

Text Example

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text.

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text. Aztecs drank a chocolate drink Spanish explores brought it to Spain Sold in Europe stores Enjoyed around world

Description The author explains a topic, idea, person, place, or thing by listing characteristics, features, and examples. Focus is on one thing and its components.

You might see words like this in descriptive texts: Clues You might see words like this in descriptive texts: For example Characteristics are Such as Looks like Consists of For instance Most important Fact *Look for topic word (or synonym) to be repeated throughout the text.

Text Example The Olympic symbol consists of five interlocking rings. In fact, the rings represent five of the seven continents. Continents such as Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and South America send athletes to compete in the games. Their symbol is considered quite colorful and includes the colors black, blue, green, red, and yellow. At least one of these colors is found in the flag of every country sending athletes to compete in the Olympic games.

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text.

Compare/Contrast The author explains how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different.

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You might see words like this in comparative texts: Clues You might see words like this in comparative texts: Differs from Similar to In contrast Alike Same as As well as On the other hand Both Either , or Not only, but also Yet Although But However While On the other hand * Also look for “- est” words: best, fewest, tallest, etc.

Text Example

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text.

Cause and Effect The author lists one or more causes or events and the resulting consequences or effects. Effect = What happened? Cause = What made it happen? *Often there will be an “if/then” pattern

You might see words like this in cause and effect texts: Clues You might see words like this in cause and effect texts: Reasons why Reasons for If…then As a result of Therefore Because of So Since In order to Leads or leads to Effects of Caused by Result Outcome Impact Influenced by Brought about by

Text Example In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now about 50% of the Earth’s population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First, the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there were many schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers. Finally, as the cities grew, people established places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadiums, theaters, and museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural communities.

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text. Factory jobs in cities Rural residents moved to cities for jobs Schools for children in cities People moved People moved to be near entertainment Cities grew larger. More interesting venues in cities

Problem Solution The author states a problem and lists one or more possible solutions to the problem. May also include the pros and cons for the solutions.

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You might see words like this in problem solution texts: Clues You might see words like this in problem solution texts: Problem is… Dilemma is… Puzzle is… Solved Question Answer Because Since This led to The main difficulty One possible solution is… One challenge… Therefore, This led to, so that If…then, thus

Text Example One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become very big and expensive to operate. A stadium, pools, and playing fields must be built for the athletic events and housing is needed for the athletes who come from around the world, and all of these facilities are used for only 2 weeks! In 1984, Los Angeles solved these problems by charging a fee for companies who wanted to be official sponsors of the games. Companies, like McDonald's, paid a lot of money to be part of the Olympics. Buildings that were already built in the Los Angeles area were also used. The Coliseum where the 1932 games were held was used again and many colleges and universities in the area became playing and living sites.

Practice using the graphic organizer for this text. Charge a fee to be an official sponsor Reuse buildings from previous Olympics Use college and universities for playing and living sites Olympics are big and expensive for the host city

Events are presented in chronological or sequential order. Name that structure! Events are presented in chronological or sequential order.

Tells how two things are similar or different. Name that structure! Tells how two things are similar or different.

Shows what happens as a result of an action or event. Name that structure! Shows what happens as a result of an action or event.

Tells the characteristics or features. Name that structure! Tells the characteristics or features.

Explains one or more ways to solve a problem. Name that structure! Explains one or more ways to solve a problem.

Paragraph practice The next 5 slides each have a short paragraph with a specific text structure. Determine what the text structure is. Tell how you knew what it was. Describe what graphic organizer you would use.

Paragraph Practice 1. Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing. Some people are trying to solve this problem. Otherwise, chimpanzees may one day exist only in zoos. People are trying to save the rain forests and woodlands where the chimps live from being cut down. It will take many people working together to solve this problem.

Chimpanzees and humans are alike in many ways Chimpanzees and humans are alike in many ways. A baby chimp laughs when its mother tickles it. After chimpanzees fight, they kiss and make up. When one chimpanzee comforts another, it gives it a hug or pat on the back. There are, of course, many ways that chimpanzees and humans are different. Chimpanzees are smaller and stronger than humans. An adult male chimpanzee stands three or four feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds. But a chimpanzee can lift more weight than a man who is six feet tall.

A chimpanzee’s body is made for climbing and swinging in the trees A chimpanzee’s body is made for climbing and swinging in the trees. First, it uses its long arms to reach a branch. Next, with its flexible hands and feet, it grabs and hooks on to the branch. Finally, it swings from that branch to another branch of tree.

It is fun to read about the characteristic of chimpanzees It is fun to read about the characteristic of chimpanzees. All wild chimpanzees live in Africa. Their diet mainly consists of fruit and leaves, but they eat other things such as insects, bark, eggs, nuts, and meat. They live mostly in thick rain forests and in woodlands. There are two types, or species, of chimpanzees—the common chimpanzee and the bonobo, also known as the pygmy chimpanzee.

Chimps live in groups and like each other a lot, but sometimes they fight. Because they don’t want to stay angry at each other after a fight, they make up by holding a hand out to the other and kissing. They show they are sorry with pats and hugs. As a result, the anger goes away.