Looking at How Texts Are Organized

Every text has a structure, like a skeleton that holds it together. Understanding how a text is organized can help you find information faster and understand it better.

Common Text Structures

• Cause and Effect: Shows how one thing leads to another.
• Compare and Contrast: Explains similarities and differences.
• Problem and Solution: Tells about a problem and how it’s fixed.
• Sequence: Lists events in order.

Spotting Structure Clues

Look for signal words:

• Cause and Effect: "because," "so," "therefore"
• Compare and Contrast: "both," "unlike," "however"
• Problem and Solution: "issue," "solve," "answer"
• Sequence: "first," "next," "finally"

Why Structure Matters

Knowing the structure helps you find answers quickly, summarize better, and makes it easier to remember what you read.