Text Structure
Text structure is the organisational pattern a writer uses to arrange ideas within a text. Recognising text structure aids reading comprehension by allowing readers to anticipate content, identify key information, and construct mental representations of the text's argument or narrative. It is equally important for writing, where command of structural patterns enables clear, purposeful organisation.
Common Text Structures
| Structure | Description | Signal words |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological / sequence | Events or steps in time order | first, then, next, finally, after, before, meanwhile |
| Cause and effect | Why something happens and the results | because, as a result, therefore, consequently, due to, leads to |
| Compare and contrast | Similarities and differences between items | similarly, however, on the other hand, in contrast, whereas, likewise |
| Problem and solution | A problem is presented, then one or more solutions | the problem is, one solution, as a result, resolved by |
| Classification | Items grouped into categories | types of, categories, can be divided into, groups |
| Description | Characteristics, features, or attributes of a topic | for example, such as, is characterised by, features include |
Texts frequently combine multiple structures. An essay about climate change might use cause-and-effect within a problem-solution frame, with classification of solution types.
Research on Text Structure and Comprehension
Meyer (1975, 1985) established that readers who identify and use text structure recall more information and recall it more accurately than readers who do not. Explicit instruction in text structure — teaching students to recognise signal words, use graphic organisers, and map structural patterns — has been shown to improve reading comprehension significantly, particularly for struggling readers and L2 learners.
Application in ELT
- Reading instruction — teaching reading subskills like identifying main ideas and making inferences depends partly on learners recognising how a text is structured. A cause-and-effect text requires different reading strategies from a comparison text
- Writing instruction — genre-based and product approaches teach text structure explicitly. Learners study model texts, identify structural patterns, then produce their own texts using the same structures
- IELTS and academic writing — Task 1 requires recognising data structures (trends, comparisons, processes); Task 2 essays require command of problem-solution, argument, and discussion structures
- Vocabulary — signal words and discourse markers associated with each structure form a productive teaching focus
Connection to Genre and Coherence
Text structure operates at the macro level of discourse organisation. Genre theory (Martin 1992; Hyland 2004) provides the social-purpose framework within which text structures function — a lab report uses a particular structure because its genre demands it. Coherence is the reader's perception that the text "hangs together" logically; appropriate text structure is a primary contributor to coherence.
Key References
- Meyer, B. J. F. (1975). The Organization of Prose and Its Effects on Memory. North-Holland.
- Meyer, B. J. F., & Freedle, R. O. (1984). Effects of discourse type on recall. American Educational Research Journal, 21(1), 121–143.
- Williams, J. P. (2005). Instruction in reading comprehension for primary-grade students: A focus on text structure. Journal of Special Education, 39(1), 6–18.