Text Structures

Students and Parents:

Welcome to a great resource! Listed below are our text structures which we have gone through in great detail in our class this year! It can be hard to decide what graphic organizer we want to use though, so I have listed all of our text structures below with the descriptions of each, when to use them with what questions and signal words are for each. Lastly, there is also what graphic organizer you could use! Have fun organizing your thoughts!

Cause and Effect

Cause is why something happened. Effect is what happened. (Sometimes the effect is listed first)

Signal Questions:

What happened?

Why did it happen?

What caused it to happen?

Signal Words:

So

Because

Since

Therefore

If...then

This led to

Reason why

As a result

May be due to

Effect of

Consequently

For this reason

So what graphic organizer should we use?

Matrix

Falling Dominoes

Linear String

Branching Tree

Compare and Contrast

Shows how two or more things are alike and/or how they are different.

Signal Questions:

What things are being compared?

In what ways are they alike?

In what ways are they different?

Signal Words:

Same as

Similar

Alike

As well as

Not only...but also

Both

Either...or

On the other hand

Different from

As opposed to

So what graphic organizer should we use?

Venn Diagram

T-chart

Matrix

Sequence

Decribes items or events in order or tells the steps to follow to do something or make something.

Signal Questions:

What items, events, or steps are listed?

Do they happen in order?

Do they always happen in this order?

Signal Words:

First

Second

Next

Then

Before

After

Finally

Following

Not long after

Now Soon

So what graphic organizer do we use?

Linear String

Time Line

Cycle

Falling Dominoes

Branching Tree

Problem and Solution

Tells about a problem (and sometimes says why there is a problem) then gives one or more possible solutions.

Signal Questions:

What is the problem?

Why is this a problem?

Is anything being done to solve the problem?

What can be done to solve the problem?

Signal Words:

Question is...

Dilemma is...

The puzzle is...

To solve this...

One reason for the problem is...

So what graphic organizer do we use?

Problem-Solution Chart

Problem -Solution Web

Matrix

Description

A topic, idea, person, place, or thing is described by listing its features, characteristics, or examples.

Signal Questions:

What specific topic, person, idea, or thing is being described?

How is it being described (what does it look like, how does it work, what does it do, etc.)? What is important to remember about it?

Signal Words:

For instance

Such as...

To begin with

An example

To illustrate

Characteristics

*Look for the topic word (or synonym or pronoun) to be repeated.

So what graphic organizer do we use?

List

Topical Web

Hierarchy

Matrix
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