1. Text Structure
© Copyright by Write Score LLC

2. Learning Goal:
Analyze how a particular sentence, paragraph, chapter, or section fits into the overall structure of a text and contributes to the development of the ideas.

3. What is Text Structure?
Text structure is the way the author organizes information in the text.
There are multiple structures authors may use in an informational text to organize their ideas.
The way the author structures the text determines what the reader will understand or take away.
The reader can review the text for clues about the text structure as a pre-reading activity in order to organize their thinking for better comprehension.
Each sentence, paragraph, or section of a text plays an integral role in clearly defining the author’s purpose for writing the text.

4. Text Structures: ? ! Chronological Order
Compare/Contrast
Cause/Effect
Problem/Solution
Description
The information discussed in the text is written in the order that events happened.
The text discusses similarities and differences between people, places, or things.
The text discusses how one event makes another event happen.
The text identifies a problem and provides the reader with one or more solutions. ! ?
The text provides information about the characteristics of something.

5. Clue Words Compare/Contrast Chronological Order Description
first, last, next, as soon as, initially, meanwhile, third, following, after, prior to, before
Compare/Contrast
both, also, alike, in contrast, as opposed to, unlike, too, similarly, despite, same, instead of, just as, different from
Description
beside, near, behind, in front, consists of, specifically, looks like, appears to be, made up of, most importantly, characteristics
Cause/Effect
so, because, therefore, as a result, in order to, influenced by, effect of, since, when/if-then, leads to
Problem/Solution
as a result of, led to, problem, solution, dilemma, because, solved, advantage, disadvantage, so that

6. Paragraph Structure
Topic Sentence
The first sentence of the paragraph that introduces the main idea of the information to follow
Supporting Sentences
Sentences that support the main idea by providing the reader with relevant evidence and examples
Concluding Sentence
Ties together all of the evidence and examples to summarize the main idea of the paragraph

7. Let’s Try!
Leonardo da Vinci Who does not know the Mona Lisa? How about The Last Supper on the back wall of the Dominican Convent of Saint Maria delle Grazie in Milan, Italy? Leonardo da Vinci created them and countless others with his wonderfully skillful hands. The Illegitimate Child Leonardo was born in a farmhouse less than two miles outside the town of Vinci on April 15, Vinci is a township of Florence in the Tuscany region. The country was under the rule of the Medici at the time of his birth. The name “da Vinci” indicates Leonardo’s place of birth; it is not his family name.
Step 1 (Pre-reading): Identify the title and any subheadings. What do they tell you about the text?
Step 2 (As you read): Look for words and phrases that support the key concept/ idea.

8. Based on what we’ve read…
the author includes the first paragraph as a way to introduce the topic or key idea, which is Leonardo da Vinci, the skillful artist.
the second paragraph was included to introduce background knowledge about Leonardo da Vinci’s childhood and where he was born.
So…
each paragraph serves a specific purpose in the big picture.

9. Partner Work
With your partner, continue reading the text while underlining words and phrases that support the topic, Leonardo da Vinci.
In the graphic organizer, stop to summarize what each section is about.
The Illegitimate child
The Young Leonardo
The Artist

10. Independent Practice Answer the following text-dependent question.
How does the author structure the text? Use evidence from the text to support your response.