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Non-Fiction

Text Structures

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Text Structure is how the text is organized.

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There are 5 types.

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Description

Compare & Contrast

Order & Sequence (Also called Chronological)

Cause & Effect

Problem & Solution

Video

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Description

This text provides details or characteristics of one topic.

Signal words - For example, such as, looks like

This type of text will explain what something looks like, where it is or where it lives, its size, what it eats, or other important information about the topic.

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Compare & contrast

This text provides the similarities and differences between two or more topics.

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Nonfiction authors organize information by comparing and contrasting two or more things.

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Signal Words - both, same as, likewise, compared to, similar to, different from, but, however, on the other hand.

Compare & contrast -

First Class

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    • Arrived just before the ship set sail.

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    • Many sent their luggage and servants in advance.

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    • Many were wealthy Americans returning home.

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Second Class

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    • 240 passengers.

    • Came on board by a different gangway than the third-class passenger.

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Third Class

    • Many were immigrants from Scandinavia.

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    • Many were families who were trying to escape poverty.

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    • They were checked by a team of doctors.

(Example from Titanic

Book in text set)

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order & sequence (Also called Chronological)

This text shows a series of events in order.

Signal Words - First, second, next, last, when you see years (like 2020) in nonfiction text. It is most likely chronological order

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Cause & effect

This text shows what happened and why it happened.

Signal words - as a result, due to, so, since, therefore, if.....then, consequence, led to, because, caused by, result, impact of

Cause - something that makes something else happen.

Effect - something that happens because of a cause.

It generally goes like this:

Effect because Cause.

I was late because my alarm didn’t go off.

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Cause & effect

Cause

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The Titanic Sank.

Effect

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Ships were fitted with more lifeboats.

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Ship designs were modified.

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PRoblem & Solution

This text shows a problem and explains the solution.

Signal words - One challenge, a solution, therefore, problem, solution, question, answer, because, so that, difficulty, resolved, fixed.

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PRoblem & Solution

Problem

The American Bison were endangered.

Solution

Ranchers started breeding bison.

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Governments set up reserves for wild bison.

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text structures can help you understand the reading And organize your writing.