Text Structure

“Text structure” is the term for how an author organizes information. Authors use different text structures
to achieve different purposes, and one piece of writing often has multiple text structures.

Types of Text Structure

• Description or List
• Cause and Effect
• Problem and Solution
• Compare and Contrast
• Sequence of Events

"Description or List"
Includes details to help
you picture or get to know a person, a place, a thing, or an idea.

"Cause and Effect"
Explains why something
happened (cause) and
what happened as a result.

"Problem and Solution"
Presents a problem and explains how it is solved.

"Compare and Contrast"
Presents the similarities
and/or differences
between two items, such
as a pair of events, time
periods, ideas, or places.

"Sequence of Events"
Describes events in the
order in which they
happen (also called
chronological order).