Understanding
Text Structures
What is a text structure?
• Text structure refers to how the information
within a written text is organized. This
strategy helps students understand that a
text might present a main idea and details; a
cause and then its effects; and/or different
views of a topic. Teaching students to
recognize common text structures can help
students improve their comprehension.
What is a text structure?
• A “structure” is a
building or
framework
• “Text structure”
refers to how a
piece of text is
built.
What is a text structure?
• Builders can use
different kinds of
structures to build
different things
• A skyscraper, for
example, is a
different kind of
structure from a
house
What is a text structure?
• Writers use
different structures
to build their ideas
• Each text structure
communicates
ideas in a different
way.
Chronological order
• Authors use
chronological order
to explain how
things happen in
order
• Chronological order
is also called
sequence or time
order
Chronological order
• You will know that
you are reading a
text in
chronological order
because you will
see words like first,
next, later, then,
and finally
Chronological order
• You will often see chronological order in
directions:
Have you ever made macaroni and cheese?
It’s simple! First, boil some water and make
some macaroni. Then, make your cheese
sauce. After the cheese sauce is ready, mix
it with the macaroni. Bake the entire thing
in the oven. Finally, it’s time to eat!
Chronological order
• You will often see chronological order in
directions or process.
Have you ever made macaroni and cheese?
It’s simple! First, boil some water and make
some macaroni. Then, make your cheese
sauce. After the cheese sauce is ready, mix
it with the macaroni. Bake the entire thing
in the oven. Finally, it’s time to eat!
Another example of Directions or
Process in the Chronological Order
• To ensure proper interdental cleaning, floss each
day. First, break off about 18 inches of floss and
wind most of it around one of your middle fingers.
Second, wind the remaining floss around the same
finger of the opposite hand. Third, hold the floss
tightly between your thumbs and forefingers.
Next, guide the floss between your teeth using a
gentle rubbing motion; never snap the floss into
the gums. Then gently slide it into the space
between the gum and tooth.
Which paragraph is in
chronological order?
Pennsylvania has many
historic sites. You can visit
Revolutionary war sites, like
Valley Forge. You can also
visit important locations
from the Civil War, like
Gettysburg. Finally, you can
also see the site of the first
oil well in Titusville.
Pennsylvania has many neat
places to visit!
Through the ages,
Pennsylvania has seen
many interesting events.
The state was founded in
1681 by William Penn.
Later, Pennsylvania was the
site of important
Revolutionary War battles.
After that, Pennsylvania
was home to new factories
during the Industrial
Revolution. Today,
Pennsylvania continues to
make history.
Which paragraph is in
chronological order?
This is the
paragraph in
chronological
order. Can you
find the clue
words that show
this order?
Through the ages,
Pennsylvania has seen
many interesting events.
The state was founded in
1681 by William Penn.
Later, Pennsylvania was the
site of important
Revolutionary War battles.
After that, Pennsylvania
was home to new factories
during the Industrial
Revolution. Today,
Pennsylvania continues to
make history.
Which paragraph is in
chronological order?
This is the
paragraph in
chronological
order. Can you
find the clue
words that show
this order?
Through the ages,
Pennsylvania has seen
many interesting events.
The state was founded in
1681 by William Penn.
Later, Pennsylvania was the
site of important
Revolutionary War battles.
After that, Pennsylvania
was home to new factories
during the Industrial
Revolution. Today,
Pennsylvania continues to
make history.
Example of Sequence
• When Corbin decided to become a teacher, he had
no idea that he was also deciding to become a
career student. His first notions of wanting only a
bachelor’s degree were quickly dispelled. During
those early years as a teacher, he found that the
more he learned the more excited he was about
teaching. Eventually, his passion for learning
earned him a master’s degree and a doctorate
degree.
Another example of Sequence
• What bad luck! First, the shower ran out of hot
water this morning while your hair was stiff full of
shampoo. After you left the house, you waited at
the bus stop for thirty minutes before you gave up
and decided to walk. Once you traveled the two
miles to school, you found out that class was
already in session and that your watch was an hour
behind!
Think about it!
• What is a structure?
• What does chronological order
mean?
• What are some clue words that
show chronological order?
Another text structure
• But what if an
author doesn’t
want to show how
something
happened in
sequence?
• The author would
need to use another
text structure!
Another text structure
• Suppose an author
wanted to explain how
these two birds are
similar and different
• Chronological order
wouldn’t work---there
is no order of events
• The author would
need to use compare
and contrast
Another text structure
The cardinal and the cedar
waxwing are two common birds.
Both have crests on their heads.
Both are common at birdfeeders.
But the birds have some
differences. The male cardinal is a
bright red, while the waxwing is
brown. The cedar waxwing often
migrates from place to place. On
the other hand, the cardinal stays
in one place year after year.
Compare and contrast clue words
When authors use the
text structure of compare
and contrast, they often
use special clue words to
show this text structure.
Can you find the clue
words in the paragraph?
Can you find the clue words?
The cardinal and the cedar
waxwing are two common birds.
Both have crests on their heads.
Both are common at birdfeeders.
But the birds have some
differences. The male cardinal is a
bright red, while the waxwing is
brown. The cedar waxwing often
migrates from place to place. On
the other hand, the cardinal stays
in one place year after year.
Here they are!
The cardinal and the cedar
waxwing are two common birds.
Both have crests on their heads.
Both are common at birdfeeders.
But the birds have some
differences. The male cardinal is a
bright red, while the waxwing is
brown. The cedar waxwing often
migrates from place to place. On
the other hand, the cardinal stays
in one place year after year.
Compare and contrast
graphic organizer
• To organize details
from a paragraph
in compare and
contrast, use a
Venn diagram
Example of Compare and Contrast
Mr. Frank and Mr. Van Daan.
Moving into a tiny apartment with people you have never met is a sure
way to discover your differences. In the play The Diary of Anne Frank ,
Mr. Frank and Mr. Van Daan are in a similar situation, but have very
different personalities, behaviors, and relationships with their families.
Both men are Jews living Nazi-occupied Amsterdam during World War
II. Both have children: Mr. Frank, two daughters; and Mr. Van Daan, a
son. They try to hide their families from the Nazis in the same apartment.
Despite their similarities, there are many differences between the two
men. First, they nearly opposite personalities. Mr. Van Daan is very
concerned with appearances and wears expensive clothes. He can be kind,
but often loses his temper. In contrast, Mr. Frank doesn’t seem to care
about material things. He always stays calm and has compassion for other
people.
Another example of C & C
Josh was shy and awkward, and Tony was
popular and outgoing. While Josh enjoyed
spending time indoors watching TV, playing video
games, or surfing the Internet, Tony liked tossing
around the football and hanging out at the mall;
yet, they had remained friends ever since the
summer they spent together at the camp. Since
Tony and Josh liked to write and receive mail,
they easily kept in touch. They also took turns
calling each other on the weekends.
Review
• Can you explain the difference
between chronological order and
compare and contrast?
• How can clue words help you as a
reader?
Another text structure
• Sometimes, a writer will want to explain
how one event leads to another
• This kind of text structure is called cause
and effect
Cause and effect clue words
• When authors
write paragraphs
to show causes and
effects, they use
words like cause,
effect, as a result,
consequently, and
so
Can you find the clue words?
The night’s snowstorm had many
effects. People were out shoveling
snow from their sidewalks. The power
lines were draped with ice. Snow
plows drove down every street.
Children were the happiest of all. The
unexpected snow caused school to be
cancelled!
Can you find the clue words?
The night’s snowstorm had many
effects. People were out shoveling
snow from their sidewalks. The power
lines were draped with ice. Snow
plows drove down every street.
Children were the happiest of all. The
unexpected snow caused school to be
cancelled!
More with cause and effect
Baby painted turtles spend all winter in
their nests. They have special chemicals in
their blood that can keep their blood from
freezing. As a result, baby painted turtles
can survive freezing temperatures!
More with cause and effect
Baby painted turtles spend all winter in
their nests. They have special chemicals in
their blood that can keep their blood from
freezing. As a result, baby painted turtles
can survive freezing temperatures!
This is the
cause
More with cause and effect
Baby painted turtles spend all winter in
their nests. They have special chemicals in
their blood that can keep their blood from
freezing. As a result, baby painted turtles
can survive freezing temperatures!
This is the
effect
Example of Cause and Effect
• The effects of global warming are visible all over
the world. In Antarctica, the number of days over
the freezing point has increased by three weeks in
the past twenty years. In Montana, glaciers in
Glacier National Park are shrinking at an alarming
rate and they may be gone by 2070. Rising
temperatures have led to a 75 percent decline in
the ice on Africa’s tallest mountain. This ice is
expected to disappear completely in just fifteen
years.
Review
• Which text structure tells about how things
are similar and different?
• Compare and contrast
• Which text structure explains how
things happen in time order?
• Chronological order
Another kind of text structure
• Sometimes, an author
will want to explain a
problem, and then
show one or more
solutions
• This kind of text
structure is called
problem and solution
An example of problem and solution
Park School had a
terrible problem. Every
day at recess, students
would argue over the
slides. Teachers had to
spend time every day
taking care of the
arguments. Finally, one
teacher came up with a
great solution. They
bought another set of
slides that everyone could
enjoy.
An example of problem and solution
Park School had a terrible
problem. Every day at
recess, students would
argue over the slides.
Teachers had to spend
time every day taking care
of the arguments. Finally,
one teacher came up with
a great solution. They
bought another set of
slides that everyone could
enjoy.
• Can you find the
problem and the
solution in this
paragraph?
An example of problem and solution
Park School had a terrible
problem. Every day at
recess, students would
argue over the slides.
Teachers had to spend
time every day taking care
of the arguments. Finally,
one teacher came up with
a great solution. They
bought another set of
slides that everyone could
enjoy.
Here is the
problem
An example of problem and solution
Park School had a terrible
problem. Every day at
recess, students would
argue over the slides.
Teachers had to spend
time every day taking care
of the arguments. Finally,
one teacher came up with
a great solution. They
bought another set of
slides that everyone could
enjoy.
Here is the
problem
Here is the
solution
Another Example of Problem Solution
• The growth of urban areas exacerbated many problems,
including the absence of clean drinking water, the lack of cheap public
transportation, and most importantly, poor sanitation. Sanitation problems
led to heavy urban mortality rates and frequent epidemics of typhoid,
dysentery, typhus, cholera, and yellow fever. Government officials,
recognizing the need for improvement, initiated the return to suburban and
rural areas. The proposal involved several cost effective solutions. Local
village water delivery systems were improved, and as villages were
substantially smaller, almost everything was in walking distance, thereby
eliminating the need for public transportation.
Text structures we’ve
learned so far
•
•
•
•
Chronological order
Compare and contrast
Cause and effect
Problem and solution
Another pattern is known as
Description
• Authors list a series or set of
items, facts, reasons, details,
points, examples, features or
characteristics.
• Changing the order of the details
does not change their meaning.
• The Description
pattern is like
listing; the characters
that make up a
description are no
more than a simple
listing of details.
Example of Description
• An animal as large and
beautiful as a horse needs to be
cared for carefully. First,
cleaning its stall on a regular
basis is absolutely necessary.In
addition, a horse needs to be
groomed 3-5 times a week.
Finally, a horse needs to be fed
and exercised on a daily basis.
Now it’s your turn!
• On the next few slides,
you will read some
paragraphs about the
Great Chicago Fire
• Your task is to decide on
the text structure for each
one
• Understanding the text
structure will help you to
understand each paragraph
What’s the text structure?
• Chronological
order
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and
effect
• Problem and
solution
• Main idea
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
What’s the text structure?
• Chronological
order
• Compare and
contrast
• Problem and
solution
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
What’s the text structure?
• Chronological
order
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
What’s the text structure?
• Chronological
order
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
What’s the text structure?
• Chronological
order
• Notice how
the paragraph
shows how
events happen
in time order
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
What’s the text structure?
• Understanding
that this text is
written in
chronological
order can help
you to
understand
how the Great
Fire started
Daniel Sullivan was the first to notice
the flames coming from the O’Leary
barn at around 8:30 pm on October 8.
A problem with the alarm box made it
impossible for the people in the area
to call for the fire department. By 9:30
pm, the entire block was blazing. In
another 3 hours, there were fires all
over Chicago. The heavy wind coming
from the lake only made the fire
bigger. It would be another day before
the fire would be completely out. By
that time, 17,500 buildings had been
burned.
Try another!
• Chronological
order
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and
effect
• Problem and
solution
• Main idea
Why was the Great Chicago Fire so
disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire
departments and fire alarms. One
reason for the terrible fire is that the
alarm malfunctioned. The local fire
company noticed the fire by accident
as it was returning from another fire.
As another problem, a watchman who
saw the flames directed other fire
companies to a location that was nearly
a mile away from the fire. Because of
these two problems, a fire that could
have been controlled rapidly spread
across the city.
Try another!
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and
effect
• Problem and
solution
Why was the Great Chicago Fire so
disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire
departments and fire alarms. One
reason for the terrible fire is that the
alarm malfunctioned. The local fire
company noticed the fire by accident
as it was returning from another fire.
As another problem, a watchman who
saw the flames directed other fire
companies to a location that was nearly
a mile away from the fire. Because of
these two problems, a fire that could
have been controlled rapidly spread
across the city.
Try another!
• Cause and
effect
Why was the Great Chicago Fire so
disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire
departments and fire alarms. One
reason for the terrible fire is that the
alarm malfunctioned. The local fire
company noticed the fire by accident
as it was returning from another fire.
As another problem, a watchman who
saw the flames directed other fire
companies to a location that was nearly
a mile away from the fire. Because of
these two problems, a fire that could
have been controlled rapidly spread
across the city.
Try another!
Why was the Great Chicago Fire so
disastrous? After all, Chicago had fire
departments and fire alarms. One
• Cause and
effect
• Notice how
the causes (in
blue) lead to
the effect (in
yellow)
reason for the terrible fire is that the
alarm malfunctioned. The local fire
company noticed the fire by accident
as it was returning from another fire.
As another problem, a watchman who
saw the flames directed other fire
companies to a location that was nearly
a mile away from the fire. Because of
these two problems, a fire that could
have been controlled rapidly spread
across the city.
What text structure is here?
• Chronological
order
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and effect
• Problem and
solution
• Main idea
After the fire, thousands of people
were left homeless. Many escaped
the fire with nothing except the
clothes on their backs. Providing all
of these people with food, clean
water, and shelter was a huge task.
Luckily, the city quickly formed a
Relief and Aid Society. This group
started giving out the food donations
that were pouring in from other
cities. The society built places for
people to live, gathered the tools that
people needed to rebuild their
houses, and even vaccinated 64,000
people against smallpox.
What text structure is here?
• Chronological
order
• Cause and effect
• Problem and
solution
After the fire, thousands of people
were left homeless. Many escaped
the fire with nothing except the
clothes on their backs. Providing all
of these people with food, clean
water, and shelter was a huge task.
Luckily, the city quickly formed a
Relief and Aid Society. This group
started giving out the food donations
that were pouring in from other
cities. The society built places for
people to live, gathered the tools that
people needed to rebuild their
houses, and even vaccinated 64,000
people against smallpox.
What text structure is here?
• Problem and
solution
After the fire, thousands of people
were left homeless. Many escaped
the fire with nothing except the
clothes on their backs. Providing all
of these people with food, clean
water, and shelter was a huge task.
Luckily, the city quickly formed a
Relief and Aid Society. This group
started giving out the food donations
that were pouring in from other
cities. The society built places for
people to live, gathered the tools that
people needed to rebuild their
houses, and even vaccinated 64,000
people against smallpox.
What text structure is here?
• Problem and
solution
• Here is the
problem
After the fire, thousands of people
were left homeless. Many escaped
the fire with nothing except the
clothes on their backs. Providing all
of these people with food, clean
water, and shelter was a huge task.
Luckily, the city quickly formed a
Relief and Aid Society. This group
started giving out the food donations
that were pouring in from other
cities. The society built places for
people to live, gathered the tools that
people needed to rebuild their
houses, and even vaccinated 64,000
people against smallpox.
What text structure is here?
• Problem and
solution
• Here is the
solution
After the fire, thousands of people
were left homeless. Many escaped
the fire with nothing except the
clothes on their backs. Providing all
of these people with food, clean
water, and shelter was a huge task.
Luckily, the city quickly formed a
Relief and Aid Society. This group
started giving out the food donations
that were pouring in from other
cities. The society built places for
people to live, gathered the tools that
people needed to rebuild their
houses, and even vaccinated 64,000
people against smallpox.
Can you find the text structure?
• Chronological
order
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and
effect
• Problem and
solution
Chicago changed in many ways after
the fire. Before the fire, most of the
buildings were less than five stories
high. The buildings that were
constructed after the fire, however,
were some of the first skyscrapers in
the country. Before the fire, most of
the houses were made of wood. After
the fire, people chose to build their
houses out of stone or brick. There were
changes in where people lived, as well.
The poor people in the city lived close to
the center of the city before the fire.
After the fire, they moved into
neighborhoods that were farther away
from the downtown area.
Can you find the text structure?
• Compare and
contrast
• Cause and
effect
Chicago changed in many ways after
the fire. Before the fire, most of the
buildings were less than five stories
high. The buildings that were
constructed after the fire, however,
were some of the first skyscrapers in
the country. Before the fire, most of
the houses were made of wood. After
the fire, people chose to build their
houses out of stone or brick. There were
changes in where people lived, as well.
The poor people in the city lived close to
the center of the city before the fire.
After the fire, they moved into
neighborhoods that were farther away
from the downtown area.
Can you find the text structure?
• Compare and
contrast
Chicago changed in many ways after
the fire. Before the fire, most of the
buildings were less than five stories
high. The buildings that were
constructed after the fire, however,
were some of the first skyscrapers in
the country. Before the fire, most of
the houses were made of wood. After
the fire, people chose to build their
houses out of stone or brick. There were
changes in where people lived, as well.
The poor people in the city lived close to
the center of the city before the fire.
After the fire, they moved into
neighborhoods that were farther away
from the downtown area.
Can you find the text structure?
• Compare and
contrast
Notice how
this paragraph is
comparing
Chicago
BEFORE the
fire to Chicago
AFTER the fire
Chicago changed in many ways after
the fire. Before the fire, most of the
buildings were less than five stories
high. The buildings that were
constructed after the fire, however,
were some of the first skyscrapers in
the country. Before the fire, most of
the houses were made of wood. After
the fire, people chose to build their
houses out of stone or brick. There were
changes in where people lived, as well.
The poor people in the city lived close to
the center of the city before the fire.
After the fire, they moved into
neighborhoods that were farther away
from the downtown area.
Can you find the text structure?
• Compare and
contrast
Notice how
this paragraph is
comparing
Chicago
BEFORE the
fire to Chicago
AFTER the fire
Chicago changed in many ways after
the fire. Before the fire, most of the
buildings were less than five stories
high. The buildings that were
constructed after the fire, however,
were some of the first skyscrapers in
the country. Before the fire, most of
the houses were made of wood. After
the fire, people chose to build their
houses out of stone or brick. There were
changes in where people lived, as well.
The poor people in the city lived close to
the center of the city before the fire.
After the fire, they moved into
neighborhoods that were farther away
from the downtown area.
Can you find the text structure?
One problem with the modern Olympics is that it has become
very big and expensive to operate. The city or country that hosts
the games often loses a lot of money. 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. Many
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.
Can you find the text structure?
•
The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa has been tilting for over 800years, and
recent improvements should allow it to continue tilting for another 300 more.
On August 9, 1173, construction began on this well known Italian bell tower.
Almost immediately, it began leaning because it was being erected on the soft
silt of a buried riverbed. Between 1178 and 1360, work stopped and started
two more times as workers tried to continue the project and figure out how to
compensate for the tilt. Over the next six centuries, the tower’s lean continued
to increase, although tourists were still allowed to visit. Then, in 1990, Italy’s
prime minister feared the tower would collapse and closed it to the public.
From 1999 to 2001, engineers excavated soil from beneath the tower. Now,
the tower still leans out about 15 feet beyond its base, but it should remain
stable for several more centuries.
Can you find the text structure?
For centuries, Japan had one of the lowest rates of
obesity in the world. But that is changing. About a quarter of
adult Japanese are now considered significantly overweight.
Two reasons in particular explain this weight gain among
the Japanese. For one thing, lifestyles have become less
active as more and more rural Japanese move into cities.
More importantly, many Japanese are turning away from
their traditional low-fat diet emphasizing rice, fish, and
vegetables. They are instead adopting a more Western diet
that features lots of processed food that is high in fat.
Can you find the text structure?
Although they are sisters, Jennifer and Jessica are complete
opposites. Jennifer enjoys playing sports, while Jessica would
rather watch. Jennifer has no interest in playing a musical
instrument, while Jessica is the first chair violinist. Jennifer
listens to new age music, while Jessica prefers country.
Jennifer’s favorite subject is English, and Jessica’s favorite is
math. Jennifer likes to curl up in a chair on a rainy day and
read a good book , but Jessica would rather sleep all day. No
one would ever guess that they are actually twins.
After this presentation,
you should have a better
understanding of the
different text structures
writers use.