PATTERN OF

ORGANIZATION
What's the advantage in seeing patterns?
• Our brains are really good at recognizing patterns really quickly.
• Human beings see patterns everywhere:
In numbers,
o 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, …
In stars,

• This ability also makes it possible for us to read. If we didn’t recognize

pattern of organization, we’d only see single words on a piece of
paper.
• Thus, looking for patterns is a way to improve your comprehension
while reading.
Wouldn't it be more useful to see all the small details?
Our brains process information such as numbers
much faster in a graph.
The lines in the graph allow us to recognize the
pattern in the numbers all at once.
• When we read, we should do the same thing.
• We should look for patterns when we read because, once you see the
pattern, the information makes sense as a whole rather than a bunch
of seemingly disconnected parts.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.
 Blargs and blurgs, common bacteria in standing water, organize
themselves by position, color, and proximity. For example, blargs are
generally found near the surface and blurgs closer to the bottom. In
addition, light and dark colored blargs and blurgs tend to be closer
together. Oddly, blargs tend to be closer to each other compared to
blurgs.

In this paragraph, the writer used transition words or signal words to organize
chunks of information and to show the relationship between these chunks.
Effective readers identify transitions or signals and use them to build
the meaning in what they read.
Four Common Patterns
• There are four basic patterns that writers often use in developing
their ideas.
Listing of related ideas or examples
Sequence
Comparison/Contrast
Cause-Effect
Listing of related ideas or examples
• In this pattern, the writer’s main idea is stated in the form of a
generalization. This is followed by a list of supporting details.
Listing of related ideas or examples
People have many different ideas about what makes a great
vacation. Some people like to go for long walks in the forest, where
they won’t see anyone for days. Others prefer to spend their holiday in
an exciting city. There, they can visit museums, theaters, and good
restaurants. Still others enjoy the fresh air at the seashore. They can
spend their days at the beach and listen to the ocean waves at night. A
few people decide to stay at home and do some major household
projects.
Listing of related ideas or examples
People have many different ideas about what makes a great
vacation. Some people like to go for long walks in the forest, where
they won’t see anyone for days. Others prefer to spend their holiday in
an exciting city. There, they can visit museums, theaters, and good
restaurants. Still others enjoy the fresh air at the seashore. They can
spend their days at the beach and listen to the ocean waves at night. A
few people decide to stay at home and do some major household
projects.
• Look at the underlined words. They will tell you each time the author
lists another way to spend a vacation. These underlined words are
signal words. Each signal calls your attention to something – in this
case, the author’s examples.
Listing of related ideas or examples
• Some signal words for the listing pattern include,
Sequence
• In this pattern, the writer’s main idea includes a series of events or
steps that follow one after another. The important idea is that things
happen in a certain order.
• Some signal words for the sequence pattern include,
Sequence
Albert Einstein was born near the end of the 1800s in Ulm,
Germany. He graduated from the University of Zurich in Switzerland at
the age of 26. fourteen years later, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
For the next ten years, he lived in Germany. Then, in the early 1930s, he
had to leave Germany because of Hitler and the Nazi Party. He moved
to the United States, where he lived until the time of his death at the
age of 74. He lived a long and productive life.
Sequence
Albert Einstein was born near the end of the 1800s in Ulm,
Germany. He graduated from the University of Zurich in Switzerland at
the age of 26. fourteen years later, he won the Nobel Prize for Physics.
For the next ten years, he lived in Germany. Then, in the early 1930s, he
had to leave Germany because of Hitler and the Nazi Party. He moved
to the United States, where he lived until the time of his death at the
age of 74. He lived a long and productive life.
Comparison/Contrast
• In this pattern, the writer’s main idea explains similarities and/or
differences.
• Some signal words for the comparison-contrast pattern include,
Comparison/Contrast
Visitors see some similarities between New York and San
Francisco. Both cities, for example, are exciting cultural centers. They
are equally attractive to people from many parts of the world. The
cities are also alike because they both have many beautiful buildings,
large, lovely parks, and grand bridges. On the other hand, the two cities
have important differences. One difference is the lifestyle. New Yorkers
are always in a hurry and are much less friendly than the residents of
San Francisco. The streets in the California city are very clean, unlike
New York, where the streets are often dirty. Another major difference is
safety: San Francisco has much less crime than New York.
Comparison/Contrast
Visitors see some similarities between New York and San
Francisco. Both cities, for example, are exciting cultural centers. They
are equally attractive to people from many parts of the world. The
cities are also alike because they both have many beautiful buildings,
large, lovely parks, and grand bridges. On the other hand, the two cities
have important differences. One difference is the lifestyle. New Yorkers
are always in a hurry and are much less friendly than the residents of
San Francisco. The streets in the California city are very clean, unlike
New York, where the streets are often dirty. Another major difference is
safety: San Francisco has much less crime than New York.
Cause-Effect
• This is the pattern which is used to show how one event or condition
is caused by another.
• Common conjunctions used to express cause include because, since,
as, because of, as a result of, due to, and owing to.
• Common linking devices used to express effect include therefore, as a
result, and consequently.
Cause-Effect
In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled millions of gallons of
oil in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Biologists who have studied the
local wildlife have noted the consequences of the spill. It has resulted in
a great decline in the number of birds in the area. The spill also has
caused many young harbor seals to suffer from brain damage and
death. Killer whales also felt the impact of the spill. Since 1989, more
than one third of the whale population has disappeared.
Cause-Effect
In 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled millions of gallons of
oil in Alaska’s Prince William Sound. Biologists who have studied the
local wildlife have noted the consequences of the spill. It has resulted in
a great decline in the number of birds in the area. The spill also has
caused many young harbor seals to suffer from brain damage and
death. Killer whales also felt the impact of the spill. Since 1989, more
than one third of the whale population has disappeared.
 Exercise 1. Guess the name of the pattern of each sentence.
1. Nicole and Brigette woke up very early on the morning of the international roller skating
competition and ate a quick breakfast.
2. The roller skating rink in Miami was much larger than the rink in their home in France.
3. Among the competitors, there were skaters from Japan, Korea, Australia, Russia,
Argentina, and many other countries.
4. Since the competition was taking place in the United States, the largest group of
competitors was American.
5. The competition began in mid-morning with free skating for couples, and the first scores
were posted after lunch.
6. A young Korean couple won this category because they worked so perfectly together.
7. Nicole and Brigette felt that the French couple had given a much livelier performance than
the Korean couple.
8. Nicole was competing in several categories, including women’s free skating, women’s
school figures, and pair skating.
9. After they had finished competing, the two girls stayed to watch the couples competitions.
10. They had both won some prizes, so they left the skating rink feeling very happy and