Patterns

of
Development
Patterns of
Development – guide you
in the way you view the
relationship of ideas presented in a
text and construct your thought.
These pattern help you follow
ideas easily and understand the
text better.
 The Major
Patterns
of Development
• Definition – his pattern’s main purpose is to
clarify and explain concepts, ideas, and thing by
answering the question “What does it mean?”
Since this pattern explain the information through
the use of illustrations, examples, and description,
it may include one or more different patterns.

Signal Word for Definition

As defined For instance Means To define

For example Is defined as Such as To illustrate

• Exemplification – an exemplification pattern presents the
general statement and then provides specific and concrete
examples to expound on the main idea. Simply put, this
pattern is used to provide an example of something.
- pay attention to the main idea an the specific
examples, as these are the most important parts of this
pattern.
Signal Word for Exemplification
After all For instance Namely That is

As an example In other words Put another way To be specific

Consider the In particular Specifically To clarify

following
For example In short Stated differently To illustrate
• Description – basically provides details on the idea
by using either a sensory or spatial pattern. Through
a sensory pattern, ideas are arranged based on one or
all the five senses. A spatial pattern, on the other
hand, arranges ideas by location or physical space.
Signal Words for Spatial Pattern or Visual
Description
Above Around Between In front of Onto
Across Away from Beyond Inside Opposite to
Adjacent to Back of By Into Outside
Against Behind Down Near Over
along Below Farther Off Throughout
Alongside Beneath Here On To the right
Amidst Beside In On top of Under
• Chronology/Procedure – organizes ideas or events
according to time. It can be either in the form of a
narration or a process. A narration sequence events
in the order in which they occurred in the time,
while a process organizes details based on stage or
steps.
- the most essential part of this pattern
are the main idea, major dates and events such as
the final outcome, major steps/stages, and, of
course, the order of presentation.
 Signal Words for Chronology
About Before In the meantime Prior to Tomorrow

After During Later Second Until

Afterwards Eventually Meanwhile Soon When

As soon as Finally Next Then Yesterday

At First Next week Till

At his/that point Immediately Presently Today

• Listing – organizes ideas using enumeration.
Unlike a chronological pattern, listing does not
require the item to be sequenced because it
doe not have the element of time. It basically
presents a series of items (facts, examples,
features, reasons, and tips) that support a main
idea. Make sure to pay attention to these
essential aspects when writing down their
notes.
 Signal Words for Listing
Additionally And then First, second In the same way
likewise
Again Another Finally Moreover

Along with As well Further Next

Also Besides Furthermore Together with

And Equally important In addition

• Comparison-contrast – organizes ideas based on
how events, places, things, and concepts are similar
or different. There are two ways on how ideas can
be arranged: separately, which both items based on
each point of comparison.

Signal Words for Comparing

Also Equally In the same way Similarly

As In a similar fashion Like To compare

Both In comparison Likewise

 Signal Words for Contrasting
Although Despite Instead Otherwise

And yet Even so However Still

As opposed to Even though Nevertheless The fact remains

But In contrast Nonetheless Unlike

Conversely In spite of On the contrary Whereas

Counter to In the meantime On the other hand Yet

• Classification and Division – organizes ideas
categories or divisions based on criteria and
standard. This pattern can be used when classifying
people, objects, events, things, place, and other
items. Make sure to always double check whether
each term is undenlably part of a certain category.
Avoid oversimplifying just so may be able to assign
something to a category, as it may result in
stereotyping.
- take note the superordinate ideas (name
of the larger group), the subordinate (subcategories
of a larger group) ideas, and the relationship
between then since these are the most important
parts of this pattern.
 Signal Word for Classification
Another Classified as One kind The last group

Another kind Final type The first category The next part
• Cause-effect – organizes details based on the cause,
the reason, and the result or consequences of the
certain phenomenon. This pattern may discuss the
both causes and the effects, causes only, or effect
only.

Signal Words for Causes

As For In view of (the fact) Owing to (the fact)

Because (of the For the reason that Inasmuch as Seeing that
facts)

Being that Forasmuch as One reason Since

Due to (the fact In that

that)
 Signal Words for Effects
Accordingly Consequently In consequence So that

As a consequence For this reason So Therefore

As a result (of this) Hence So much (so) that Thus

Because (of this)

• Problem-solution – organizes ideas into problems
and purposed solutions. The problem section usually
includes that what, who, when, where, why, and
how of the problem. The other part then presents the
major effect of the problem and the possible
solutions to address it, as well as the steps in
implementing the solution.
Signal Word for Problem-Solution
But Nonetheless One solution is The problem

First, second One reason of the One way is The solution

• Persuasion – organizes ideas to show how a set of
evidences leads to a logical conclusion or argument.
Specifically, this pattern presents the issue, the
position, and the supporting evidence that supports
the position. Make sure to check these three
essential elements while reading a persuasion text.
Signal Word for Emphasizing a Point
Again In that case To emphasize Truly

For this reason Indeed To repeat With this in mind

In fact
 Signal Words for Concluding and Summarizing
Accordingly Consequently In brief Inevitably Therefore

All in all Due to In conclusion On the whole Thus

As a result Finally In short Since To sum up

As I have said In any event In summary In essence In a nutshell

Signal Words for Conceding a Point

Admittedly It is true that Obviously True

Assuredly Needless to say Of course Undoubtedly

Certainly No doubt To be sure Unquestionably

Granted