English for
Academic and
Professional
Purposes
Quarter 1 – Module 2:
Text Structures
What is It
Have you ever wonder how are the thoughts in academic texts
organized? Now, let us learn how academic texts are structured.
Common Text Structures
Text structure is how information in a text is organized. Being able to identify the
structure of a text can greatly increase students' comprehension of the material being read.
According to Taylor (1992), students who are taught to identify the structure of expository
and narrative texts have been found to have better comprehension than students who have
not received such instruction. The following are the six basic structures that are commonly
found in textbooks and/or academic texts.
1. Compare-Contrast Structure. This type of text structure examines the similarities
and differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc. The selection
below uses compare and contrast sentence structure.
Example:
Most mobile phones sold today have an operating system that is either designed by
Apple or Google. Both of these operating systems allow users to connect to application stores
and download applications. However, one major difference between these two operating
systems is that Apple makes the iOS operating system powering their iPhones and iPads. In
other words, the iOS operating system only appears on products created by Apple. On the
other hand, Google makes the Android operating system that can be found on many different
mobile phones and tablets like Samsung, Sony and LG. So, which operating system do you
prefer - Android or iOS?
Obviously, the sample text presents a compare - contrast structure. How do the signal
words help in developing the structure of the text? How are the similarities and differences
of mobile phone’s operating system elaborated? Analyze the graphic organizer that follows
to further understand the structure of the text.
Apple Google
Apple makes the iOS Apple and Google makes the
operating system Android operating
Google operating
powering their iPhones system that can be
systems allow
and iPads.
It only found on many
appears on Apple users to connect to different mobile
application stores phones like
products.
and download
Samsung, Sony and
applications. LG.
2. Cause-Effect Structure. This structure presents the causal relationship between a
specific event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow. An action and
its results are explained.
Example:
In the Philippines, it is the brown race that constitutes the majority and the white or
mestizo is the minority. It follows, therefore, that the mean and measure in judging beauty is
the Malay skin, hair, eyes, nose, lips, body, and stance. As a result, film producers and
directors consciously build up stars whose dominant features are Malay like Nora Aunor,
Angel Locsin, John Lloyd Cruz and Daniel Padilla.
If the text uses cause – effect structure, what do you think is the cause? How about
the effect? Have you spotted some signal words which help to elaborate the causal
relationship of ideas? The causal relationship presented in the text is simplified in the
following graphic organizer:
Cause Effects
The mean and measure in
judging beauty is the
Malay skin, hair, eyes,
In the Philippines, nose, lips, body, and
it is the brown stance.
race that
constitutes the Film producers and
majority and the directors consciously build
white or mestizo up stars whose dominant
is the minority. features are Malay like
Nora Aunor, Angel Locsin,
John Lloyd Cruz and
Daniel Padilla.
3. Sequence Structure. This text structure gives readers a chronological order of
events or a list of steps in a procedure.
Example:
Egg is good for our health. One of the simplest recipe for egg is omelette. It sounds like
an expensive dish but actually it is very affordable and easy to cook. To make an omelette
like a pro, precook the toppings such as minced onions and garlics, shred cheese, sliced
tomatoes and other fresh herbs. Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and add a splash of water.
The steam from the water makes the omelette light and fluffy. Then, whisk the egg-water
mixture vigorously with a fork until the whites and yolks are completely blended. After that,
heat the pan and add enough oil or butter in it. Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan and let
the egg set along the edges. After few seconds, sprinkle the precooked toppings. Don’t forget
then to season with salt and pepper. That’s it! You have made the perfect omelette for
breakfast.
How is the text mainly structured? Yes, you are right! The text uses sequence
structure. It presents the list of steps on how to make a perfect omelette for breakfast.
Take a look in the following graphic organizer to learn sequence structure in details.
Heat the pan
and add
Whisk the
enough oil or
egg-water
butter in it.
mixture until
Crack the the whites
eggs into a
and yolks are
bowl and add
blended.
a splash of
Precook the water. Pour the egg
toppings. mixture into
the hot pan
Sprinkle the and let the egg
precooked set along the
Don’t forget edges.
toppings.
then to
season with
salt and
pepper.
4. Descriptive Structure. This type of text structure describes something in order of
space and how something looks. It features a detailed description of something to give the
reader a mental picture.
Example:
Galileo was a thoughtful youth and doubtless carried on a rich and varied reverie. He
had artistic ability and might have turned out to be a musician or painter. When he had dwelt
among the monks at Valambros, he had been tempted to lead the life of a religious. As a boy,
he busied himself with toy machines and he inherited a fondness for mathematics. All these
facts are of record.
Can you picture out the subject described in the text? How is the subject being
described? To answer these questions, let us study the following graphic organizer:
He was a
thoughtful youth
and doubtless.
He had an
He artistic
tempted to ability. He
lead a Galileo might have
religious turned out
life. to br
musician
or painter.
He busied himself
with toy machines
and inhereted
fondness for
Mathematics.
5. Problem-Solution Structure. This type of structure sets up a problem or problems,
explains the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution.
Example:
Dr. Ramos doesn’t want the eagles to vanish. These Philippine giant birds are
disappearing at an alarming rate. Dr. Ramos thinks that we should demand the government
to plan for immediate action in the preservation of this specie. He also thinks that we should
donate to Save the Eagles. Our donations will help to support and empower those who are
fighting the hardest to preserve the eagles. With this, we can make a difference. We owe it
to our helping and caring hands to do something.
Based on the text, what is the problem discussed? What are the recommendations
drawn to address the problem? The graphic organizer below shows
the specific problem and solutions presented in the text :
Solutions
*Dr. Ramos thinks that we
Problem should demand the
Eagles are government to plan for
disappearing at an immediate action in the
alarming rate. preservation of this specie.
*He also thinks that we
should donate to Save the
Eagles.
6. Question - Answer Structure. This text structure starts by posing a question then
goes on to answer that question.
Example:
Why do we have schools? Schools deal important role in the society and they have three
main functions. First, students learn skills that will help prepare them for society. Writing,
reading, and mathematics are essential in global market and workplace and individuals
likely learn these skills in schools. Second, schools serve communities by providing safe
havens for students in temporary living situations. Third, schools provide a conducive
environment for children to engage in productive activities during many days of the year while
their adult caretakers may be working. These are the reasons why we have schools in our
society.
Looking closely at the text, have you seen some signal words used in this structure? Have
you found these signal words - first, second and third? These signal words are used to
enumerate the answers of the question posted. Do the details in the text support and
provide answers to the question? Check out the graphic organizer on the next page to help
you find answer with the latter.
Answer 1:
Students learn skills that will help prepare them for society.
Question:
Answer 2:
Schools serve communities by providing safe havens for
students in temporary living situations.
Why
do
we Answer 3:
Schools provide a conducive environment for children to
have engage in productive activities during many days of the year
schools? while their adult caretakers may be working.