Lutucan Integrated National High School

Sariaya, Quezon

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES (EAPP)

Lesson 2: Text Structure
What I need to know
At the end of the lesson, you are expected to:
1. identify the different reading strategies as tool in academic writing
2. evaluate one’s purpose for reading; and
3. use knowledge of text structure to glean information he/she needs.

What’s new
Arrange the given pictures according to the best order. Then, answer the guide questions according to your
choice.

Guide Questions:

◦ How did you arrange the pictures?

◦ What is the importance of organizing
things?

What I know
Evaluate the cooking analogy, noting the differences in process between the two paragraphs.
A. Shannon has to make dinner. He goes to the store and walks through every aisle. He decides to
make spaghetti, so he revisits aisles and reads many packages thoroughly before deciding which
groceries to buy. Once he arrives home, he finds a recipe for spaghetti, but needs to go back to
the store for ingredients he forgot.
B. Taylor also has to make dinner. He wants lots of carbohydrates because he’s running a marathon
soon so he decides to make spaghetti. After checking some recipes, he makes a list of ingredients.
At the grocery store, he skims aisles to find his ingredients and chooses products that meet his
diet.

Which paragraph is clearer? A or B? Why?

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What is it?
Text Structure determines how a material is organized.

Organization of text understanding main topic & aid in writing effective

paragraphs supporting points and essays

A “structure” is a building or framework. Text structure” refers to how a piece of text is built10. Each text
structure communicates ideas in a different way. Hence, the different types of informational passages have
different text structures. Text structures are organizational patterns. Authors use certain text structures to
help their audience better understand the information presented. The most common text patterns are cause
and effect, comparison and contrast, problem and solution, chronological order and description.

a. Cause and Effect11

A writer may choose to put the emphasis on either the cause or the effect. Cause is why something happened
while effect is what happened. In both cases, either a verb or a conjunction can be used to show the link.
WHY WOMEN LIVE LONGER
Some British scientists now believe that women live longer than men because of T cells, a vital part of the
immune system that protects the body from diseases. Previously, various theories have attempted to explain
longer female life expectancy. Biologists claimed that women lived longer since they need to bring up
children. Others argued that men take more risks, as they die earlier.

b. Problem and solution12

HOW CAN ROAD CONGESTION BE REDUCED?
Currently, roads are often congested, which is expensive in terms of delays to the movement of people
and freight. It is commonly suggested that building more roads, or widening existing ones, would ease the
traffic jams. But not only is the cost of such work high, but the construction process adds to the congestion,
while the resulting extra road space may encourage extra traffic. Therefore, constructing more roads is
unlikely to solve the problem, and other remedies, such as road pricing or greater use of public transport,
should be examined.
Problem and solution tell about a problem (and sometimes says why there is a problem) then gives
one or more possible solutions. The common signals include question is, dilemma is, the puzzle is, to solve
this, one answer is and one reason for the problem is. Here is the how this text is organized. 12Bailey, 145-
146

c. Comparison and Contrast13

Growing up in Philippines during the 1990s was much different from growing up today. Children as
young as 10 years old held full time jobs in order to help their families. Many of these children worked 14
hours a day for as little as 100 pesos. Today, however, children are not allowed to hold part-time jobs until
they are at least 14 years old. Philippine laws also restrict the number of hours teenagers work. While some
teenagers today work out of necessity to help their families, most do so to earn spending money or to save
for college.
Comparison is pointing out similarities. Contrasting is pointing differences. However, you should
have a set of criteria or items as basis for comparison and contrast. Not only your comparison will make
unfamiliar familiar but it will also make a critical appraisal of what you compare. These are the common
signals: same as, similar, alike, as well as, not only-but also, both, instead of, either-or, on the other
hand, different from, as opposed to.

There are two ways to present similarities and differences.

1. The block pattern presents the object or item being compared and/or contrasted one at a time.
2. The alternating pattern moves from the first object to the second as it presents comparison or
contrast point by point.
2
 d. Chronological Order14

Finally, we rounded a deep curve and suddenly came upon a shanty, all but ready, it seemed, to crumble in
a heap, its plastered walls rotting away, the floor hardly a floor from the ground. I thought of the cottages of the
poor colored folk in the South, the hovels of the poor everywhere in the land. This one stood all by itself, as
though by common consent, all the folks that used to live here had decided to stay away, despising it, ashamed
of it. Even the lovely season could not color it with beauty.
Authors use chronological order to explain how things happen in order. Chronological order is also
called sequence or time order. You will know that you are reading a text in chronological order because you
will see words like first, next, later, then, and finally.
13
Baraceros, Communication, 171
14
Baraceros, 175

e. Description15
Description may either be: informative or objective description and evocative or impressionistic
description. The focus of the former is the object – its physical properties and characteristics; the latter, the
emotions or moods of the reader.

What’s more
Read each entry carefully. Place a check ( ̸ ) mark under the column that best describes the characteristic of
each text pattern.
Characteristics Cause and Problem and Comparison Chronologica Description
Effect solution and contrast l order
1. The results of
something are
explained
2. Information is
organized in order of
time
3. Two or more
things are described;
their similarities and
differences are
discussed/analyzed
4. A problem is
described and a
response or solution
is proposed or
explained.
5. Information is
organized in steps; a
process is explained.
15
Lucero and Torrecampo, Communication, 66-66

What I have learned

The most common text patterns are cause and effect, comparison and contrast, problem and solution,
chronological order and description.
1. Cause and effect explain why things happened and what happened.
2. Comparison and contrast show how two or more things are similar and/or how they different.
3. Problem and solution tell about a problem (and sometimes says why there is a problem) then
gives one or more possible solutions.
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 4. Chronological order which is also called sequence or time order explains how things happen in
order.
5. Description may either be: informative or objective description and evocative or impressionistic
description.
6. Each text pattern or structure has appropriate language that helps the reader distinguish them.

What I can do
Task 1: Combine/match the causes in column A with their likely effects in column B and apply/write sentences
linking them together
Causes Effects
Cold winter of 2015 more tourists arriving
Higher rates of literacy a new government being formed
Constructing an airport reduced infant mortality
Last year’s national election greater demand for secondary education
Installing speed cameras on main roads increased demand for electricity
Opening a new hospital in 2021 a fall in the number of fatal accidents

1. Owing to the cold winter of 2015, there was increased demand for electricity.
2. _____________________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________________________
6. _____________________________________________________________

Task 2: Read this sample paragraph of informative or objective description then extract the descriptive words.
The fence grew moldy and inclined to one, the child of Aling Ibiang grew up into a sickly boy with hollow
dark eyes and shaggy hair, and the child that was born to Aling Sebia grew up into a girl, a girl with rugged
features, a serious face, and a narrow brow – but not a word had passed across the fence since that night.

Vivid images Meaning

1.

Assessment
Read each paragraph carefully then identify its text structure.
1. My neighbor, Mr. Clark, just bought a new car. It is a beautiful, 2008, black Mercedes. He chose gray
leather interior and the seats are even heated for those cold, Kansas winters. He washes it every weekend,
so that it always looks shiny.

2. One of my favorite things to eat in the summer time is tomatoes. Because they are so expensive at the
store, I decided to grow my own tomatoes last summer. Unfortunately, the plants didn’t produce many
tomatoes. One day, I thought I had better look at the plants carefully to see what the problem might be.
Sure enough, I found little white bugs all over the leaves.
17Bailey, 151 18Baraceros, 181 19Oshima and Hogue, Introduction, 15-17 23

3. Holly and Molly are identical twins. Although they look exactly alike, everything else about them is
different. Holly likes to play sports and enjoys listening to rock and hip-hop music. Molly would much
rather read and play classical music on the piano with her free time. They dress differently, too. Holly
likes to wear casual clothes, but Molly prefers to dress up every day. Even though they lead very
different lives, Holly and Molly love each other very much and enjoy discussing their day every night.
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Additional Activities

Read the passages. Accomplish worksheet #2 on text structure by identifying the text structure and
writing information from the passage into the appropriate graphic organizer.

Passage #1 – Chemical and Physical Changes

All matter, all things can be changed in two ways: chemically and physically. Both chemical and physical
changes affect the state of matter. Physical changes are those that do not change the make-up or identity of
the matter. For example, clay will bend or flatten if squeezed, but it will still be clay. Changing the shape of
clay is a physical change, and does not change the matter’s identity. Chemical changes turn the matter into a
new kind of matter with different properties. For example, when paper is burnt, it becomes ash and will never
be paper again. The difference between them is that physical changes are temporary or only last for a little
while, and chemical changes are permanent, which means they last forever. Physical and chemical changes
both affect the state of matter.

Passage #2 – The Best PB & J Ever

When I got home from school after a long boring day, I took out the peanut butter, jelly, and bread. After
taking the lid off of the jars, I spread the peanut butter on one side of the bread and the jelly on the other, and
then I put the two pieces of bread together. After that, I enjoyed it while watching “Cops” on the TV. I swear,
that was the best peanut butter and jelly sandwich I ever ate.

Passage #3 – Bobby Fischer

Robert James Fischer was born in Chicago but unlocked the secrets of chess in a Brooklyn apartment right
above a candy store. At the age of six he taught himself to play by following the instruction booklet that came
with his chess board. After spending much of his childhood in chess clubs, Fischer said that, “One day, I just
got good.” That may be a bit of an understatement. At the age of 13 he won the U.S. Junior Chess
Championship, becoming the youngest Junior Champion ever. At the age of 14 he won the U.S.
Championship and became the youngest U.S. Champion in history. Fischer would go on to become the World
Champion of chess, but he would also grow to become his own worst enemy. Instead of defending the title,
he forfeited it to the next challenger without even making a move, and the rise of a chess superstar ended with
a fizzle.

Passage #4 – Save the Tigers

Dr. Miller doesn’t want the tigers to vanish. These majestic beasts are disappearing at an alarming rate. Dr.
Miller thinks that we should write to our congress people. If we let them know that we demand the
preservation of this species, maybe we can make a difference. Dr. Miller also thinks that we should donate to
Save the Tigers. Our donations will help to support and empower those who are fighting the hardest to
preserve the tigers. We owe it to our grandchildren to do something.

Passage #5 – The Great Recession

Many people are confused about why our economy went to shambles in 2008. The crisis was actually the
result of a combination of many complex factors. First, easy credit conditions allowed people who were high-
risk or unworthy of credit to borrow, and even people who had no income were eligible for large
loans. Second, banks would bundle these toxic loans and sell them as packages on the financial market. Third,
large insurance firms backed these packages, misrepresenting these high-risk loans as safe
investments. Fourth, because of the ease of acquiring credit and the rapid growth in the housing market,
people were buying two or three houses, intending to sell them for more than they paid. All of these factors
created bubbles of speculation. These bubbles burst, sending the whole market into a downward spiral,
causing employers to lose capital and lay off employees. Consumer spending then plummeted and most
businesses suffered. The economy is like a big boat, and once it gets moving quickly in the wrong direction,
it’s hard to turn it around.

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6
What I Know
Paragraph A is clearer because the ideas are
focused and well structured.
What I can do
1. Cold winter of 2015 increased the demand for
electricity.
2. Higher rates of literacy
requires greater demand for secondary education
3. Constructing an airport resulted to arrival of
more tourists.
4. Last year’s national election formed a new
government.
5. Installing speed cameras on main roads gives
a fall in the number of fatal accidents.
6. Opening a new hospital in 2021 had reduced infant
mortality.
What's More
1. Cause and effect
2. Chronological
3. Comparison and contrast
4. Problem and solution
5. Description
Assessment
1. Description
2. Cause and Effect
3. Chronological
Answer Key
. I realize that
. I understand that _
Write your personal insights about the lesson using the prompts below.
Reflection
protector and the phone screen. Enjoy the added protection.
side of the screen protector to your phone’s screen. Smooth out any air bubble trapped on between the
surface of your screen is clean, remove the paper backing on the screen protector. Evenly apply the sticky
Before applying the screen protector, clean the surface of your phone’s screen with a soft cloth. Once the
Passage #6 – Screen Protector
 Lutucan Integrated National High School
Sariaya, Quezon
S.Y. 2020-2021

ENGLISH FOR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES (EAPP)

ANSWER SHEET #2

Name: Date: Score:

Track & Section: Subject Teacher:

What I know
1.
What’s more
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What I can do- Task 1
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Task 2
Vivid images Meaning
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Assessment
1.
2.
3.

Reflection. Write your personal insights about the lesson using the prompts below.

I understand that

I realize that
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 EAPP Worksheet#2 (Text Structure)
Which passage is chronological? Which passage is compare and contrast? Which passage is sequence?
Put information from the passage onto the graphic Put information from the passage onto the graphic Put information from the passage onto the graphic
organizer. organizer. organizer.

Passage Name: ________________________ Passage Name: ________________________ Passage Name: ________________________

What is being compared & contrasted?

4.
First Event

Third Event Ways Similar Ways Different 3.

1. 1.
Earliest Point Most Recent
2.
In Time Point in Time 2. 2.

Second Event 3. 3.
1.

Which passage is cause and effect? Which passage is problem and solution? Which passage is chronological?

Put information from the passage onto the graphic Put information from the passage onto the graphic Put information from the passage onto the graphic
organizer. organizer. organizer.

Passage Name: ________________________ Passage Name: ________________________ Passage Name: ________________________

Cause #1 Solution
Effect Problem First Event

Third Event

Solution Earliest Point Most Recent

Cause #2 In Time Point in Time

Second Event