How Writing Is Built

Passages on the HSPT can be organized in different ways. Recognizing the text structure helps you find information quickly and answer questions correctly.

Common Structures

• Chronological: Events in time order.
• Cause and Effect: What happens and why.
• Compare and Contrast: How things are alike and different.
• Problem and Solution: A problem is described and then a solution is offered.

Spotting Structure

Look for signal words like “first,” “because,” “however,” or “as a result.” Knowing the structure makes passages easier to understand.

Why It Matters

Understanding how texts are organized helps you write better essays and reports, too!