How Text Structure Supports the Purpose

Authors pick a structure that best fits what they want to accomplish.

An author's purpose often decides how a text is organized. If the purpose is to give instructions, a sequence structure with numbered steps makes sense. If the purpose is to explain why something happened, cause and effect works best. To convince readers to fix a problem, a problem-and-solution structure fits. To help readers choose between two things, compare and contrast is ideal.

Example: an author wants to convince the town to add crosswalks near the school. A good plan: describe the problem (cars speeding near the school, two near-accidents this year), then present the solution (painted crosswalks and a crossing guard), and end with a call to action.

The structure supports the persuasive purpose: by the time readers reach the solution, they already feel the problem is serious. When you read, ask: 'Why did the author organize it this way? '

• 1Purpose often decides structure.
• 2Instructions use sequence; explanations use cause and effect.
• 3Ask why the author organized the text this way.