Text Structure

Authors use this structure to present information about things that are different but have something in common, such as two points of view on a subject.

the term for how an author organizes a text

What structure is used? At exactly 4:45 p.m., someone pulled the eighth-floor fire alarm. In less than two minutes, the horse-drawn vehicles of Engine Company 72 arrived from a firehouse six blocks away. The moment they arrived...

What structure is used? Workers, shouting, crying, and gasping for air, slowly made their way downstairs.

Authors present information about events or steps in a process, in the order in which they take or have taken place.

What structure is used? "Those who could not board elevators rushed the stairway door. They caused a pileup so that those in front could not open the door. Whenever someone tried to get it open, the crowd pinned her against it."

These signal words are clues to what text structure? Since, Question, Problem, Solution, Solve

What structure is used? Yet their thinking, in these last moments of life, may have gone like this: If I jump, my family will have a body to identify and bury, but if I stay in this room, there will be nothing left.

What structure is used? By 5:15 p.m., exactly thirty-five minutes after flames burst from beneath a cutting table, firefighters had brought the blaze under control. An hour later, Chief Croker made his inspection.

What structure is used? There were no lights in the stairway, so they had to grope their way in darkness. A girl fell; others fell on top of her, blocking the stairs until firefighters arrived moments later.

What structure is used? Yet everyone who took the stairway from the eighth floor got out alive, exiting through the Washington Place doors. Those on the ninth floor were not so lucky.

What structure is used? Onlookers saw many dreadful sights, none more so than the end of a love affair. A young man appeared at a window. Gently, he helped a young woman step onto the windowsill, held her away from the building—and let go.

What structure is used? We will never know for sure what started the Triangle Fire. Most likely, a cutter flicked a hot ash or tossed a live cigarette butt into a scrap bin. Whatever the cause, survivors said ...

These signal words are clues to what text structure? Similarly, Alike, Same as, Just like, In contrast, A difference between, Unlike

Explains why something happened and what happened as a result

A writer presents a problem or a series of problems, and offers solutions on how to solve them.

What structure is used? “Every time another piece dropped, light scraps of burning fabric began to fly around the room. They came down on the other tables and they fell on the machines. Then the line broke and the whole string...

What structure is used? Those who could not board elevators rushed the stairway door. They caused a pileup so that those in front could not open the door. Whenever someone tried to get it open, the crowd pinned her against it.

What structure is used? Just then, Frances Perkins reached the scene from her friend’s town house on the north side of Washington Square. “Here they come,” onlookers shouted as Engine Company 72 reined in their horses. Seconds later,...

What is the overarching (main) text structure used in "Flesh & Blood So Cheap?"

What structure is used? Streams of water playing on the top three floors.

What structure is used? Despite the danger, the operators made several trips, saving scores of workers before heat bent the elevators’ tracks and put them out of action.

These signal words are clues to what text structure? for example, for instance, such as, in addition, descriptive language

These signal words are clues to what text structure? Because, Since, If Then, Due to

These signal words are clues to what text structure? First, next, last Before, after, During, While, Dates, Times, Steps

This structure includes details to give the reader a mental picture