Text Structure Definition Graphic Organizer Transitions/ Questions
Signal Words
NARRATIVE Narrates an Descriptive -Who is the
event/story with language narrative about?
characters, (adjectives, - Where is it set?
setting, conflict, adverbs, - What is the conflict?
point of view, and similes, and - Who is telling the
plot metaphors) narrative?
- What is happening?
CHRONOLOGICAL, Present ideas - First, second, -What items, events, or
PROCESS, OR or events in the third… steps are listed?
SEQUENCE order in which - Later - Do they have to/ always
they happen - Next happen in this order?
- Before - What sequence
- Then of events is being
- Finally described?
- After - What are the major
- When incidents that occur?
- Since - How is this structure
- Now/ revealed?
previously
- Actual use of
dates
CAUSE AND Provide - If/then -What happened?
EFFECT explanations or - reasons why - Why did it happen?
reasons for - as a result - What caused it to happen?
phenomena - therefore
- because
- consequently
- since
- so that
- for
- due to
PROBLEM/ Identify -problem is - What is the problem?
SOLUTION problems and - dilemma is - Why is this a problem?
pose solutions - if/then - Is anything being done to
- because try to solve the problem?
- so that - What can be done to solve
- question/ the problem?
answer
- puzzle is solved
COMPARE AND Discuss two -However/yet -What items are being
CONTRAST ideas, events, - Nevertheless compared?
or phenomena, - on the other - In what ways are they
showing how hand similar?
they are - but/ whereas – Different?
different and similarly - What conclusion does the
how they are - although author reaches about these
similar - also/likewise items?
- in contrast/ - What Conclusion does the
comparison author reaches about these
- different items?
- either/or
- in the same way/
just as
DEFINITION OR Describes a - for example -What are the most
DESCRIPTION topic by listing - characteristics important characteristics? -
characteristics, - for instance how is it being described
features, - such as (what does it look like, how
attributes, and - including does it work, etc.)? - What is
examples - to illustrate important to remember
about it?
