What I Need to Know

Structure is an important feature of academic writing. A well-structured text

enables the reader to follow the argument and navigate the text. In academic writing, a
clear structure and a logical flow are imperative to a cohesive text. Meaning is actually
mapped onto the structure of language.

In this module, you determine the way an author arranges information in his
writing. Also, this helps you understand meaning and gather information while reading
the text and consequently provides ideas that enable you to organize your thoughts as
you write your own.

After going through this module, you will be able to:

 use knowledge of text structure to glean the information you need.
(CS_EN11/12A-EAPP-Iac-4)

Specifically, you are expected to:

• identify the text structure used in the academic texts;
• write essays and/or articles using specific text structure; and,
• use different text structures for blogging on important events, places, concepts
and ideas.

What I Know
To be guided with your journey in this module, let us start by working
on this pre - test.

Directions: Read the passages and determine how each is mainly structured. Choose
your answer from the list of words below and write the letter of your choice on the space
provided before the number.

a. cause - effect b. compare - contrast c. sequence

d. descriptive e. question – answer f. problem- solution

________1. Apple’s newly unveiled flagship is the iPhone XS which comes hot of the heels
of Sony’s latest contender, the Xperia XZ3. They’re both attractive, but which is best?
Let’s take a closer look. Both phones are prone to cracks and scratches because of all
that glass. But, they differ in water-resistant capacity. iPhone XS has IP68 rating allows
them to be submerged for up to half an hour in up to 2 meters of water. While, the
Xperia XZ3 has an additional IP65 rating which covers jets of water from any direction.
With these, Japanese manufacturer Sony has struggled to gain a foothold in the
smartphone market, while its American competitor iPhone has dominated.

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________2. Since I made it to the honor roll every quarter this year, my mom is going to
buy me a new phone for my birthday. So, I feel so excited whether to get an iPhone or a
Galaxy. Getting one would give me a chance to go through my old music collection.
That would be cool. It’s worth a shot.
_________3. What type of plant is a corn? Corn belongs to a family of grass. It is a grass
with seeds called kernels. Very few kernels grew on wild corn grass. It took thousands of
years of choosing the corn grass plants with the biggest seeds, or kernels, to make what
we enjoy today as corn on the cob. Now, we all know that corn is a grass.
_________4. The foundation of every pizza is the crust, and good crust comes from good
dough. In making a dough, start by adding your yeast sachet to a cup of warm water.
Let the yeast activate, then add two cups of flour, two tablespoons of olive oil, two
teaspoons of sugar, and a teaspoon of salt. Mix all of those together and wait half an
hour for the dough to rise. Now, you’re ready to roll the dough out!
________5. The purpose of any artwork is to communicate a message - to comment,
scream or sing about the world in which we find ourselves in. If there is no emotion
behind the work, there is no driving force – nothing to direct and shape your decision
making. So, why do you want to create an artwork? What is your purpose in doing
such?
________6. Thousands of people die each year in car accidents involving drugs or alcohol.
Lives could be saved if our city adopts a free public vehicle service. By providing such a
service, we could prevent intoxicated drivers from endangering themselves or others.
_________7. Ice-cream is a delicious frozen treat that comes in a many different colors
and flavors. Two of my favorite flavors are strawberry and chocolate. These flavors are
delicious. I love the strawberry flavor for the granules of the fruit slowly melts in my
mouth as I savor the taste. Also, chocolate flavor is mouth – watering for it gives you a
bitter – sweet and creamy tastes. Even though more chocolate ice-cream is sold across
the country than strawberry, each flavor tastes great inside of a milk shake.
_________8. People of all ages benefit from regular physical activity. Physical activity
leads to improved physical fitness. Consequently, it helps the body systems to function
at their optimal efficiency associated with an individual’s ability to work effectively, to
enjoy leisure time, to resist disease and to respond easily to emergency situations.
_________9. Linux and Windows are both operating systems. Computers use them to
run programs. Linux is totally free and open source, so users can improve or otherwise
modify the source code. Windows is proprietary, so it costs money to use and users are
prohibited from altering the source code.
_________10. If you use too much effort in pitching the ball without rest, a serious elbow
or shoulder may be on the horizon. If you complain of elbow or shoulder pain, see a
physician familiar with sports injuries. But then, it is recommended to warm up
properly by doing body stretching, running and gradual pitching to prevent injuries. Of
course, do not play all year round because your body needs to recover from the physical
demands of playing.

Lesson
Text Structures
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What is It

Have you ever wonder how are the thoughts in academic texts organized? Now, let
us learn how academic texts are structured.

Common Text Structures

Text structure is how information in a text is organized. Being able to identify the
structure of a text can greatly increase students' comprehension of the material being
read. According to Taylor (1992), students who are taught to identify the structure of
expository and narrative texts have been found to have better comprehension than
students who have not received such instruction. The following are the six basic
structures that are commonly found in textbooks and/or academic texts.

1. Compare-Contrast Structure. This type of text structure examines the

similarities and differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc.
The selection below uses compare and contrast sentence structure.

Example:
Most mobile phones sold today have an operating system that is either designed by
Apple or Google. Both of these operating systems allow users to connect to application
stores and download applications. However, one major difference between these two
operating systems is that Apple makes the iOS operating system powering their iPhones
and iPads. In other words, the iOS operating system only appears on products created by
Apple. On the other hand, Google makes the Android operating system that can be found
on many different mobile phones and tablets like Samsung, Sony and LG. So, which
operating system do you prefer - Android or iOS?

Obviously, the sample text presents a compare - contrast structure. How do the
signal words help in developing the structure of the text? How are the similarities and
differences of mobile phone’s operating system elaborated? Analyze the graphic
organizer that follows to further understand the structure of the text.

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 Apple Google

Apple makes the iOS Apple and Google makes the

operating system Android operating
Google operating
powering their iPhones system that can be
systems allow
and iPads.
It only found on many
appears on Apple users to connect to different mobile
application stores phones like
products.
and download
Samsung, Sony and
applications. LG.

2. Cause-Effect Structure. This structure presents the causal relationship between

a specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow. An action
and its results are explained.

Example:
In the Philippines, it is the brown race that constitutes the majority and the white or
mestizo is the minority. It follows, therefore, that the mean and measure in judging beauty
is the Malay skin, hair, eyes, nose, lips, body, and stance. As a result, film producers and
directors consciously build up stars whose dominant features are Malay like Nora Aunor,
Angel Locsin, John Lloyd Cruz and Daniel Padilla.

If the text uses cause – effect structure, what do you think is the cause? How about
the effect? Have you spotted some signal words which help to elaborate the causal
relationship of ideas? The causal relationship presented in the text is simplified in the
following graphic organizer:

Cause Effects
The mean and measure in
judging beauty is the
Malay skin, hair, eyes,
In the Philippines, nose, lips, body, and
it is the brown stance.
race that
constitutes the Film producers and
majority and the directors consciously build
white or mestizo up stars whose dominant
is the minority. features are Malay like
Nora Aunor, Angel Locsin,
John Lloyd Cruz and
Daniel Padilla.
3. Sequence Structure. This text structure gives readers a chronological order of
events or a list of steps in a procedure.

Example:
Egg is good for our health. One of the simplest recipe for egg is omelette. It sounds
like an expensive dish but actually it is very affordable and easy to cook. To make an
omelette like a pro, precook the toppings such as minced onions and garlics, shred cheese,
sliced tomatoes and other fresh herbs. Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and add a splash
of water. The steam from the water makes the omelette light and fluffy. Then, whisk the
egg-water mixture vigorously with a fork until the whites and yolks are completely
blended. After that, heat the pan and add enough oil or butter in it. Pour the egg mixture
into the hot pan and let the egg set along the edges. After few seconds, sprinkle the
precooked toppings. Don’t forget then to season with salt and pepper. That’s it! You have
made the perfect omelette for breakfast.

How is the text mainly structured? Yes, you are right! The text uses sequence
structure. It presents the list of steps on how to make a perfect omelette for breakfast.
Take a look in the following graphic organizer to learn sequence structure in details.

Heat the pan

and add
Whisk the
enough oil or
egg -water
butter in it.
mixture until
Crack the
the whites
eggs into a
and yolks are
bowl and add
blended.
a splash of
Precook the water. Pour the egg
toppings. mixture into
the hot pan
Sprinkle the and let the egg
precooked set along the
Don’t forget edges.
toppings.
then to
season with
salt and
pepper.

4. Descriptive Structure. This type of text structure describes something in order of

space and how something looks. It features a detailed description of something to give
the reader a mental picture.

Example:
Galileo was a thoughtful youth and doubtless carried on a rich and varied reverie.
He had artistic ability and might have turned out to be a musician or painter. When he

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had dwelt among the monks at Valambros, he had been tempted to lead the life of a
religious. As a boy, he busied himself with toy machines and he inherited a fondness for
mathematics. All these facts are of record.

Can you picture out the subject described in the text? How is the subject being
described? To answer these questions, let us study the following graphic organizer:

He was a
thoughtful youth
and doubtless.

He had an
He artistic
ability. He
tempted to
lead a Galileo might have
turned out
religious
to br
life.
musician
or painter.
He busied himself
with toy machines
and inhereted
fondness for
Mathematics.

5. Problem-Solution Structure. This type of structure sets up a problem or

problems, explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution.

Example:
Dr. Ramos doesn’t want the eagles to vanish. These Philippine giant birds are
disappearing at an alarming rate. Dr. Ramos thinks that we should demand the
government to plan for immediate action in the preservation of this specie. He also thinks
that we should donate to Save the Eagles. Our donations will help to support and
empower those who are fighting the hardest to preserve the eagles. With this, we can
make a difference. We owe it to our helping and caring hands to do something.

Based on the text, what is the problem discussed? What are the recommendations
drawn to address the problem? The graphic organizer below shows the specific problem
and solutions presented in the text:
 Solutions
*Dr. Ramos thinks that we
Problem should demand the
Eagles are government to plan for
disappearing at an immediate action in the
alarming rate. preservation of this specie.

*He also thinks that we

should donate to Save the
Eagles.

6. Question - Answer Structure. This text structure starts by posing a question

then goes on to answer that question.
Example:
Why do we have schools? Schools deal important role in the society and they have three
main functions. First, students learn skills that will help prepare them for society. Writing,
reading, and mathematics are essential in global market and workplace and individuals
likely learn these skills in schools. Second, schools serve communities by providing safe
havens for students in temporary living situations. Third, schools provide a conducive
environment for children to engage in productive activities during many days of the year
while their adult caretakers may be working. These are the reasons why we have schools
in our society.

Looking closely at the text, have you seen some signal words used in this structure?
Have you found these signal words - first, second and third? These signal words are
used to enumerate the answers of the question posted. Do the details in the text support
and provide answers to the question? Check out the graphic organizer on the next page
to help you find answer with the latter.

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 Answer 1 :
Students learn skills that will help prepare them for society .
Question:

Answer 2 :
Schools serve communities by providing safe havens for
students in temporary living situations .
Why
do
we Answer 3 :
Schools provide a conducive environment for children to
have engage in productive activities during many days of the year
schools? while their adult caretakers may be working .
 At this stage, you should have several ideas on the common text structures used in
academic texts. Keep in mind these ideas because you are going to use your knowledge
on text structures for enhancing your skills in gleaning information.

What’s More
Eventually, you are ready to prove your understanding about the topic and this can be
realized by getting involved in the following activities.

Activity 2: Spot the clues!

Directions: Read the text below. Circle the signal words used and determine the text
structure applied in the text.

Working on a computer may be easier and safer than working in a mine. However, it
doesn’t come without risks. Using a computer for a long time can lead to poor eyesight,
muscle loosening, back pain, and injuries to the hands and wrists. If you find yourself
working or playing on a computer quite regularly, take a few steps to prevent these
problems and you’ll thank yourself later. To address this, taking frequent breaks when
you are computing for a long time is recommended. Specifically, you have to get up, walk
around, stretch your hands and wrists, and straighten your back every once and a while.
Undeniably, it can be hard to pull yourself away from your computer once you get into a
zone, but your body will thank you later if you do. Thus, make your health a priority and
don’t worry so much about what is happening on that little screen.

What is the structure used in the text? ____________________________________________

Why do you think so? ____________________________________________________________

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__________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

It seems that you did it like a pro. So, challenge yourself for another one. Let us continue!

Activity 4: Read to find out!

Direction: Read the text entitled Studying for a Test and answer the questions that
follow. Write your answers on the space provided.

Studying for a Test

Believe it or not, as important as it is, many students do not know how to study
for a test. Well, studying for a test is easy. The first that you must do is take out your
notes. Open your notes up to the section that you are supposed to review. Read what
you wrote in your notebook. When you are done, close your notebook and see if you
remember the ideas that you were studying. Still don’t remember? Open your notebook
back up a try again.
Source: www.ereadingworksheets.com

1. What does the author want to convey to the readers?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

2. How does the author present his ideas?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

3. What are the signal words used in the text?

______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. How do the signal words help in organizing the author’s ideas?

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
You’re doing great! How do you find the activities? Do they help you learn more about the
lesson? Indeed, the activities help you understand more about academic text structures.
 What I Have Learned

Let us sum up the salient points discussed in this module. So, get ready to figure them
out!

Activity 5: Match to know!

Direction: Match the group of words in Column A to their meanings in Column B. Write
only the letter of your choice in the space provided.

Column A Column B
______1. Compare – Contrast a. explains how to do it or how it happens
______2. Cause – Effect b. specifies only the consequences of the
action
______3. Sequence c. starts by posing a question then
goes on to answer that question
______4. Problem – Solution d. Shows what is in common and what is
different
______5. Descriptive e. gives the reader a mental picture
f. discusses advantage sand
disadvantages
g. presents the action and its result
h. suggests appropriate actions to
address certain issue

What I Can Do

Obviously, you are aware that our lives and our ways of living have drastically changed
when the COVID-19 pandemic came unexpectedly. Share your thoughts and
experiences about it. Try structuring your own text.

Activity 6: Structure your essay!

Direction: In the space provided, write an essay/article about COVID – 19 pandemic
using a specific text structure of your choice. You may use a separate sheet if necessary.

Please be guided by the suggested criteria for scoring.

Criteria for Scoring:

Appropriate Use of Text Structure………20 pts.
Mechanics………….…………...................15 pts.

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Creativity and Presentation……….…......15 pts.
Total………………………….............………50 pts.

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