Text Structure English 7/8

Sequence—Also known as chronological order https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJJGh7YuemU The author describes a series of events or steps.

Sequence Questions What sequence of events or steps is being described? What is the beginning step or event? What is the timespan of the sequence? What is the final step or outcome?

You might also see bullets, dates, subheadings, and chapter titles.

Signal Words and Phrases   after (that) afterward as at the same time before earlier finally first following initially last later on meanwhile next

not long after now on (day) previously prior to second soon then until when while

Proposition and Support The author proposes an opinion or idea and supports it with evidence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RheUG9ci0FM

Proposition and Support Questions What is the author proposing? What are the author’s reasons?

Signal Words and Phrases additionally certainly evidently furthermore in conclusion in fact in the first place moreover most important not only . . . but of course should surely the facts show without a doubt

Also look for statistics, expert opinions, and anecdotes Also look for statistics, expert opinions, and anecdotes. (short stories used for evidence)

Compare and Contrast The author tells how two things are like and how they are different. http://www.shmoop.com/video/compare-and-contrast

Compare and Contrast Questions What things are being compared? What is it about these things that are being compared? What do they have in common? In what ways are they different?

You might also see graphs and charts, such as bar, line, and pie.

Signal Words and Phrases unlike same similarly whereas while yet alike although both but compared with conversely different from even though however in contrast Also look for superlatives, such as better, bigger, and fewest in the same way likewise on the other hand neither . . . nor

Description The author describes a topic by listing its characteristics, features, and examples. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpD4lcbeSJo

Description Questions What person, place, thing, event, or concept is being described? How is it described? How would you now describe it in your own words?

You might also see diagrams, illustrations, and inset definitions.

Signal Words and Phrases also characteristics for example for instance has/have in addition including in fact in particular like specifically such as to illustrate

Several adjectives may be used Several adjectives may be used. The subject, or synonyms for it, may be repeated throughout this type of text.

Cause and Effect The author shows the relationship between an event and how or why it happened. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bhp41tRebU

Cause and Effect Questions What happened? Why did it happen? Is there more than one cause? Is there more than one effect?

You might also see flow charts and timelines.

Signal Words and Phrases as a result because brings about caused by consequently due to if . . . then in order to led to reason why since so therefore thus

Problem and Solution The author states a problem and lists one or more possible solutions to the problem. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-PnCBQ60PA

Problem and Solution Questions What is the problem? Why is this a problem? How can the problem be solved?

Signal Words and Phrases answer concern difficulty dilemma future challenge issue one option possible solution problem question solve solution so that