Identify text structures
key notes :
Writers can organise their ideas in different ways. These ways of organising writing are called text structures. When you can tell how a text is organised, it’s easier to understand how the writer’s ideas go together. You can also use these text structures to organise your own writing.
Learn with an example
🔥Read the text.
If you visit Machu Picchu in Peru, you’ll see why it’s such a popular tourist site. For one thing, it’s in a beautiful place, high up a mountain. Tourists spend days climbing the trail to see the scenery. Most exciting, however, is the history of the area. The site contains the ruins of a city built in the fifteenth century. In addition to the ruins, there are buildings that have been repaired so visitors can see how they looked originally. The temples and homes are made of huge stone blocks that fit closely together.
🔥Which text structure does the text use?
- sequential
- descriptive
The text uses a descriptive structure to show facts about Machu Picchu.
| Topic | Machu Picchu |
| Detail 1 | Visitors go to see the beautiful mountain scenery. |
| Detail 2 | It has an exciting history, and you can see ruins there. |
| Detail 3 | Some buildings were repaired to how they were originally. |
| Detail 4 | The buildings were made out of huge stone blocks. |
In the text, certain words and phrases help to organise ideas in a descriptive structure. Notice the phrases for one thing, most exciting and in addition to:
If you visit Machu Picchu in Peru, you’ll see why it’s such a popular tourist site. For one thing, it’s in a beautiful place, high up a mountain. Tourists spend days climbing the trail to see the scenery. Most exciting, however, is the history of the area. The site contains the ruins of a city built in the fifteenth century. In addition to the ruins, there are buildings that have been repaired so visitors can see how they looked originally. The temples and homes are made of huge stone blocks that fit closely together.
🔥Read the text.
Drinking soda pop or other fizzy drinks can make you burp, or belch. That loud sound comes from air or other gases in your stomach. Sometimes when you eat or drink, you swallow air. Since that air gets into your stomach, it has to come out. It comes out as a burp. Carbon dioxide, a gas that makes drinks fizzy, is in soda pop. That’s why drinking soda pop can lead to more gas and more burping.
🔥Which text structure does the text use?
- cause-effect
- descriptive
The text uses a cause-effect structure to show why you burp.
| Cause | Effect |
| you drink soda pop or fizzy drinks | you burp |
| you eat or drink | you swallow air |
| air gets into your stomach | air comes out as a burp |
| carbon dioxide is in soda pop | soda pop causes burps |
In the text, certain words and phrases help to organise ideas in a cause-effect structure. Notice the words make, when, since and why, as well as the phrase lead to:
Drinking soda pop or other fizzy drinks can make you burp, or belch. That loud sound comes from air or other gases in your stomach. Sometimes when you eat or drink, you swallow air. Since that air gets into your stomach, it has to come out. It comes out as a burp. Carbon dioxide, a gas that makes drinks fizzy, is in soda pop. That’s why drinking soda pop can lead to more gas and more burping.
let’s practice!
Read the text.
Different animals are good at guarding in different situations. Some people own dogs to guard their homes. Dogs can bark a warning when strangers (or mail carriers) show up. Dogs usually live well in city homes. But if you’re in the country, you might prefer a donkey instead. That’s especially true if you have sheep, pigs or horses to protect. Donkeys can fight off coyotes and wolves better than many dogs. A donkey is easier to care for, too. It can just eat the grass in the pasture with the other animals.