Text Structures

Text Structures refer to features that are common to specific genres.  For example, nonfiction texts typically include a table of contents, maps, charts, etc., while narrative texts contain elements of character, setting, problem, solution, etc.

Text Structure also refers to how a text is organized.  Common structures of nonfiction texts include:  Description or Listing, Sequence, Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect, and Problem and Solution.

Each genre follows a distinct structure(s).  Readers must be able to recognize a variety of text structures and organize their thinking to facilitate comprehension.