1. Text Structure
Dana Tyson, 5th Grade

2. What is text structure?
Text structure is the way an author sets up his nonfiction writing. It organizes ideas in a way that makes sense.

3. There are 6 types of structures you can use to organize your text
Problem and Solution
Chronological Order (sequence)
Cause and Effect
Compare and Contrast
Description
Question and Answer

4. Signal words
It is easy to figure out which structure is being used, because there will be signal words that each type uses.

5. Problem and Solution
If a passage has a problem and solution structure, we will read about a problem and possible solutions to the problem.
Signal Words
Problem
Answer
Solution
Solve
help

6. Example:
Few people in Chile’s Atacama Desert can remember when it last rained—none has fallen for decades. There are no streams or lakes where people can get the water they need. But the desert people have a solution. A heavy fog often drifts across this dry land. People trap water from the fog with large, fine nets. The nets hang in the mountains above their villages. Moisture from the fog collects on the nets, and the water drips down into the pipes. The pipes carry the water down to the village.

8. Chronological Order (Sequence)
Chronological order means the same as sequence. This is a time order structure. It is the easiest to identify.
Signal Words:
First
Next
Then
Before
After
Finally

11. Cause and Effect
Signal Words
Therefore
As a result
Cause
Reason
Because
Since
For this reason
thus
If a passage has a cause and effect text structure we can expect to read about reasons why something happened.

14. Compare and Contrast Signal Words Like Similar Unlike Different
However
Both
Neither
On the other hand
If the passage follows a compare and contrast structure, we will read about how things are the same and how they are different.

17. Description
If a passage follows a descriptive structure, we will read about a main idea or topic that is supported by descriptive details.
There are no signal words, but the clues are:
The passage will describe a topic
Their will be a main idea
There will be sentences that tell more about the main idea.

20. Question and Answer
This type of writing is set up with a heading that is a question and the answer is in paragraph form.