TEXT STRUCTURES

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Tex t st r u c t u re s ( W D P I , 2 0 1 2 ) refe r to t h e
way a u t h o rs o rga n i ze i nfo r m at i o n i n tex t .
Re co g n i z i n g t h e u n d e r l y i n g st r u c t u re o f
tex t s ca n h e l p st u d e nt s fo c u s atte nt i o n
o n ke y co n c e p t s a n d re l at i o n s h i p s ,
Te x t s t r u c t u r e s ( W D P I , 2 0 1 2 ) r e f e r t o t h e w a y
authors organize information in text. Recognizing
the underlying structure of texts can help
st u d e nt s fo c u s atte nt i o n o n key co n c e pt s a n d
relationships, anticipate what is to come, and
monitor their comprehension as they read.
 Learning Objectives
By the end of the lesson presentation, you should have the skills required to do the following:

1 2 3

use knowledge of text

identify the different
evaluate one’s purpose structure to glean
reading strategies as
for reading; and information he/she
tool in academic
needs.
writing;
 DESCRIPTION
Characteristics or details about
something.
Signal Words Think About :
:
• for example • characteristics
• such as • examples
• for instance • features
• looks like
• specifically
EXAMPLE:

likes
female
sports
Maddy is seventeen years old. She is female.
She likes sports. Her favorite is softball. She
loves the color yellow. Her favorite food is 17 years
Maddy softball
tacos. She loves her dog, Buster. old

tacos yellow
 Cause: why
something happens.

CAUSE Effect: what

happened as a result.

AND Signal Words :

EFFECT •
•
since
if/then
•
•
because
therefore
• so • due to
• led to • as a
result
EXAMPLE:

Noah went to his friend's birthday party. He

ate a big piece of cake and two scoops of Ate too much
Didn't eat dinner
ice cream. On the way home, his stomach cake and ice
and went to bed
started hurting. When he got home, he cream
didn't eat dinner and went to bed.
 SEQUENCING
the order of events

Beginning Middle End

: • first •: next •:
last
• to begin • then • finally
• at first • after that • at the end
• before • later • eventuall
• initially • meanwhile y
• afterward
EXAMPLE:

Hal wakes up and looks outside his window.

He sees rain falling down onto to the ground.
Saw it Got his
He hears a loud boom and sees lightening Woke up was green
flash in the sky. Even with the storm, it is storming raincoat
time to get ready for school. Hal goes to the
closet and grabs his green raincoat. Next,
Put on his Got
Put on his
Hal puts on his blue rubber boots. These blue umbrella
red hat
boots have a fish on them. Then, Hal puts on boots and left

his floppy red hat. Finally, he grabs his

umbrella and leaves for school.
PROBLEM Signal Words
AND •
:
however • because
• as a solution • therefore
SOLUTION • consequently • due to
• since • as a
describes an issue or conflict and result
one or more ways to solve it.
EXAMPLE:

Wild chimpanzees are rapidly disappearing.

Many people are trying to solve this
Problem Solution
problem. Otherwise, chimpanzees may one
day only be found in zoos. People are trying • Save forests
to save the rainforests and woodlands from being cut
Wild chimps
where the chimps live from being cut down. down.
are
• Develop
Another way we can work to solve the disappearing.
environmental
problem is by developing environmental ed programs.
education programs to teach people.
 COMPARE AND
CONTRAST
Compare: how things Signal Words :
are alike.
• alike • differen
Contrast: how things • similar t
are different. • both • instead
• same • but
• unlike
EXAMPLE:

Ice cream is a delicious frozen treat that Strawberry Vanilla

comes in so many different flavors and
colors. Two of my favorite flavors are
pieces of fruit more sold
strawberry and vanilla. Though both of delicious
annually
these flavors are delicious, strawberry ice taste
great in
cream can contain pieces of fruit while milkshake
vanilla usually will not. Even though more
vanilla ice cream is sold across the country
annually than strawberry, both flavors
tastes great inside of a milk shake.
 ANY
QUESTIONS?
NOMINALIZATION &
PASSIVIZATION
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 Introduction
In combining ideas effectively, you will need to avoid redundancy and at the same time,
make sure that ideas are packed effectively.

Consider the following examples: The earthquake caused massive

property damage.

The earthquake caused loss of life. The earthquake changed the

landscape of the village.
Though these sentences are grammatically correct, they do not
possess the sophistication of academic writing. They can be
improved by continuing similar ideas expressing them through a
more complex construction. Hence, they can be rewritten this way:

The earthquake was a disaster that caused loss of

life, property damage, and permanent changes in
the landscape.
 Nominalization

the verbs are made central as they denote action.

Transforming verbs into nouns helps readers focus
on the action and not on the doer of the action.
 EXAMPLES of
NOMINALIZATION #1
The company created software to manage the
transactions successfully.
Nominalization: The creation of software to manage
transactions was a success.
 EXAMPLES of
NOMINALIZATION #2
The president announced a three-day holiday this
September.
Nominalization: The president’s
announcement of a three-day holiday for
September was released.
 EXAMPLES of
NOMINALIZATION #3
The mall distributed several free items to consumers
in the hope to boost sales.
Nominalization: Distribution of free items
for consumers was done in the hope to boost sales.
 Passive Construction or
PASSIVIZATION
The results of actions are highlighted. In academic
writing, since the writer of the paper is presumed to have
done the collection and analysis of data, it is understood
that all results of the action are a product of the writer’s
work.
EXAMPLES of PASSIVIZATION
#1
The researcher conducted experiments to validate the
hypothesis.
Passivization: Experiments were conducted to
validate the hypothesis.
EXAMPLES of PASSIVIZATION
#2
An engineer built a saltwater lamp to help communities
with no electricity.
Passivization: A saltwater lamp was built to help
communities with no electricity.
EXAMPLES of PASSIVIZATION
#3
Several scientists conducted experiment to examine the
effects of algae on biodiversity.
Passivization: An experiment was conducted to
examine the effects of algae on biodiversity.
 Time to Practice
Combine the sentences to make their structure complex and better fit for
academic writing.

The government’s deal with the public transport company was not successful.
The government’s deal with the public transport company will cause delays in
projects.
The government’s deal with the public transport company will result in
unsatisfied citizens.