Text Structures
If an author uses a Venn diagram to organize their thoughts before writing, they are likely using this text structure.
Compare and Contrast.
In the sentence "The cat slept on the mat," the highlighted word belongs to this basic part of speech.
Noun.
These specific facts, statistics, examples, and reasons build up, explain, and back up the author's main point.
Supporting Details.
"After finishing his homework Marcus went outside to play basketball." Insert the missing comma!
"After finishing his homework, Marcus went outside to play basketball."
The dictionary defines a "snake" as a legless reptile, but its negative connotation often refers to a person who is this.
untrustworthy (or deceitful/a traitor)
This text structure presents an issue in the first half and offers one or more ways to resolve or fix it in the second half.
Problem and Solution.
In "The fast runner won," "fast" is an adjective, but in "The runner ran fast," it transforms into this part of speech.
Adverb.
This term refers to the central point, primary message, or big picture concept that an author wants you to understand from a passage.
The main idea/central idea.
"My brother who lives in Chicago is coming to visit this weekend." Insert the two missing commas!
"My brother, who lives in Chicago, is coming to visit this weekend."
"The [stubborn / persistent] athlete refused to give up, training every day until she mastered the skill." Choose the word with the admiring positive connotation.
persistent
Biographies, recipe instructions, and historical timelines typically rely on this sequential text structure.
Chronological/Sequence.
Used to modify or describe a noun or pronoun, this part of speech answers questions like "which one?", "what kind?", or "how many?"
Adjective.
Unlike the main idea, which is a complete thought about what happens, this one- or two-word phrase simply tells who or what the text is generally about.
Topic.
"Class remember to bring your permission slips tomorrow." Insert the missing comma!
"Class, remember to bring your permission slips tomorrow."
Between "confident" and "arrogant," this word carries a negative connotation implying excessive pride.
arrogant
This structure uses signal words like "because," "therefore," and "as a result" to explain why something happened.
Cause and Effect.
Meaning "to join together," this part of speech links words, phrases, or clauses using examples like "and," "but," "because," or "although."
Conjunction.
In most non-fiction informational paragraphs, the topic sentence containing the main idea is found in this location.
the First Sentence (or Beginning of the Paragraph).
"Let's eat Grandma!" To prevent this sentence from sounding like cannibalism, a comma must be placed immediately after this word.
"eat" ("Let's eat, Grandma!")
Frugal" and "stingy" both describe someone who spends carefully, but this word carries the positive connotation of being smart with money.
frugal
Read the passage: During peak morning commuting hours, the small town's main intersection suffered from severe traffic gridlock that delayed drivers by up to forty-five minutes. To resolve this daily headache, city planners installed a series of smart traffic signals and constructed a bypass road that successfully diverted highway commuters away from the downtown core."
Which text structure does this passage fit in?
Problem and Solution.
Expressing sudden emotion or reaction, these brief exclamations like "Ouch!", "Wow!", or "Hey!" are often set off by an exclamation point or comma.
Interjection.
When the main idea is directly written in the text—often as a topic sentence—it is described as this type of main idea.
Stated (or Explicit).
"Miami Florida is famous for its warm weather and beautiful beaches." Insert the missing comma!
"Miami, Florida is famous for its warm weather and beautiful beaches."
Authors use words with strong emotional connotations to establish this overall mood or attitude toward a topic.
Tone.