Common nonfiction text structures (cause/effect, compare/contrast, sequence, problem/solution) and their signal words. Front: the structure type. Back: its definition and typical signal words.
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- Cause and effect text structure
- An organization pattern that shows why something happened (the cause) and what happened as a result (the effect). Signal words: because, since, as a result, caused, led to, due to, so
- What is a cause?
- The reason why something happened; the event or action that makes something else occur
- What is an effect?
- The result or consequence; what happens because of the cause
- Cause and effect signal words
- Because, since, as a result, caused, led to, due to, so that, effect, reason
- Causal chain
- When one effect becomes the cause of another effect, creating a series of connected events
- Example of cause and effect
- Because it rained (cause), the outdoor game was canceled (effect)
- Compare and contrast text structure
- An organization pattern that shows how two things are alike (compare) and different (contrast). Signal words: like, both, however, but, unlike, same, different, although
- What does compare mean?
- To show the ways that two or more things are similar or alike
- What does contrast mean?
- To show the ways that two or more things are different or unlike each other
- Signal words for comparing
- Like, also, both, similarly, alike, same, in the same way, just as, resembles
- Signal words for contrasting
- But, however, yet, on the other hand, unlike, different, although, while, instead, in contrast
- Venn diagram and compare/contrast
- A Venn diagram uses overlapping circles to show similarities (middle) and differences (outside areas) between two things
- Sequence text structure
- An organization pattern that presents events or steps in the order they happen. Signal words: first, second, next, then, after, before, finally, last, during
- Chronological order
- A sequence pattern that arranges events in the exact order they actually happened in time
- Step-by-step sequence
- A sequence pattern that lists the specific steps needed to complete a task or make something, in the correct order