Republic of the Philippines

COLEGIO DE SAN LORENZO RUIZ DE MANILA

OF NORTHERN SAMAR, Inc.
Cor. Balite – Quezon St., Brgy. Calachuchi, Catarman, Northern Samar
SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Module in English for

Lesso Academic and Professional
n Purposes
Text Structures
2

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This is your self-instructional learner module in EAPP. All the activities provided in this lesson will
help you learn and understand: Text Structures

After going through this module, you are expected to:

 identify the text structure used in the academic texts;

 write essays and/or articles using specific text structure; and,
 use different text structures for blogging on important events, places, concepts and
ideas.

LESSONS
.

Have you ever wondered how are the thoughts in academic texts organized? Now, let us learn
how academic texts are structured.

Prepared by:
Common Text Structures

Text structure is how information in a text is organized. Being able to identify the structure of a text
RONNEL
can greatly increase students' comprehension M. LAGRIMAS
of the material being read.

According to Taylor (1992), students who are taught to identify the structure of expository and
narrative texts have been found to have better comprehension than students who have not
received such instruction. The following are the six basic structures that are commonly found in
textbooks and/or academic texts.
1. Compare-Contrast Structure. This type of text structure examines the similarities and
differences between two or more people, events, concepts, ideas, etc. The selection below uses
compare and contrast sentence structure.

Example:

Most mobile phones sold today have an operating system that is either designed by Apple or
Google. Both of these operating systems allow users to connect to application stores and
download applications. However, one major difference between these two operating systems is
that Apple makes the iOS operating system powering their iPhones and iPads. In other words, the
iOS operating system only appears on products created by Apple. On the other hand, Google
makes the Android operating system that can be found on many different mobile phones and
tablets like Samsung, Sony and LG. So, which operating system do you prefer - Android or iOS?

Obviously, the sample text presents a compare - contrast structure. How do the signal words help
in developing the structure of the text? How are the similarities and differences of mobile phone’s
operating system elaborated? Analyze the graphic organizer that follows to further understand the
structure of the text.

2. Cause-Effect Structure. This structure presents the causal relationship between a specific
event, idea, or concept and the events, ideas, or concept that follow. An action and its results are
explained.

Example:

In the Philippines, it is the brown race that constitutes the majority and the white or mestizo is the
minority. It follows, therefore, that the mean and measure in judging beauty is the Malay skin, hair,
eyes, nose, lips, body, and stance. As a result, film producers and directors consciously build up
stars whose dominant features are Malay like Nora Aunor, Angel Locsin, John Lloyd Cruz and
Daniel Padilla.

If the text uses cause – effect structure, what do you think is the cause? How about the effect?
Have you spotted some signal words which help to elaborate the causal relationship of ideas?
The causal relationship presented in the text is simplified in the following graphic organizer:
3. Sequence Structure. This text structure gives readers a chronological order of events or a list
of steps in a procedure.

Example:

Egg is good for our health. One of the simplest recipe for egg is omelette. It sounds like an
expensive dish but actually it is very affordable and easy to cook. To make an omelette like a pro,
precook the toppings such as minced onions and garlics, shred cheese, sliced tomatoes and other
fresh herbs. Next, crack the eggs into a bowl and add a splash of water. The steam from the water
makes the omelette light and fluffy. Then, whisk the egg-water mixture vigorously with a fork until
the whites and yolks are completely blended. After that, heat the pan and add enough oil or butter
in it. Pour the egg mixture into the hot pan and let the egg set along the edges. After few seconds,
sprinkle the precooked toppings. Don’t forget then to season with salt and pepper. That’s it! You
have made the perfect omelette for breakfast.

How is the text mainly structured? Yes, you are right! The text uses sequence structure. It
presents the list of steps on how to make a perfect omelette for breakfast. Take a look in the
following graphic organizer to learn sequence structure in details.

4. Descriptive Structure. This type of text structure describes something in order of space and
how something looks. It features a detailed description of something to give the reader a mental
picture.

Example:
Galileo was a thoughtful youth and doubtless carried on a rich and varied reverie. He had artistic
ability and might have turned out to be a musician or painter. When he had dwelt among the
monks at Valambros, he had been tempted to lead the life of a religious. As a boy, he busied
himself with toy machines and he inherited a fondness for mathematics. All these facts are of
record.

Can you picture out the subject described in the text? How is the subject being described? To
answer these questions, let us study the following graphic organizer:

5. Problem-Solution Structure. This type of structure sets up a problem or problems, explains

the solution, and then discusses the effects of the solution.

Example:

Dr. Ramos doesn’t want the eagles to vanish. These Philippine giant birds are disappearing at an
alarming rate. Dr. Ramos thinks that we should demand the government to plan for immediate
action in the preservation of this specie. He also thinks that we should donate to Save the Eagles.
Our donations will help to support and empower those who are fighting the hardest to preserve
the eagles. With this, we can make a difference. We owe it to our helping and caring hands to do
something.

Based on the text, what is the problem discussed? What are the recommendations drawn to
address the problem? The graphic organizer below shows the specific problem and solutions
presented in the text:
6. Question - Answer Structure. This text structure starts by posing a question then goes on to
answer that question.

Example:

Why do we have schools? Schools deal important role in the society, and they have three main
functions. First, students learn skills that will help prepare them for society. Writing, reading, and
mathematics are essential in global market and workplace and individuals likely learn these skills
in schools. Second, schools serve communities by providing safe havens for students in
temporary living situations. Third, schools provide a conducive environment for children to engage
in productive activities during many days of the year while their adult caretakers may be working.
These are the reasons why we have schools in our society.

Looking closely at the text, have you seen some signal words used in this structure? Have you
found these signal words - first, second and third? These signal words are used to enumerate the
answers of the question posted. Do the details in the text support and provide answers to the
question? Check out the graphic organizer on the next page to help you find answer with the latter
ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Spot the clues!

Directions: Read the text in the next page. Circle the signal words used and determine the text
structure applied in the text.

Working on a computer may be easier and safer than working in a mine. However, it doesn’t come
without risks. Using a computer for a long time can lead to poor eyesight, muscle loosening, back
pain, and injuries to the hands and wrists. If you find yourself working or playing on a computer
quite regularly, take a few steps to prevent these problems and you’ll thank yourself later. To
address this, taking frequent breaks when you are computing for a long time is recommended.
Specifically, you have to get up, walk around, stretch your hands and wrists, and straighten your
back every once and a while. Undeniably, it can be hard to pull yourself away from your computer
once you get into a zone, but your body will thank you later if you do. Thus, make your health a
priority and don’t worry so much about what is happening on that little screen.

What is the structure used in the text? ___________________________________________

Why do you think so?

_____________________________________________________________________________

Activity 2. Identify me!

Directions: Read the passages and determine how each is mainly structured. Choose your answer
from the list of words below and write the letter of your choice on the space provided before the
number.

a. cause - effect
d. descriptive
b. compare - contrast
e. question – answer
c. sequence
f. problem- solution

________1. Apple’s newly unveiled flagship is the iPhone XS which comes hot of the heels of
Sony’s latest contender, the Xperia XZ3. They’re both attractive, but which is best? Let’s take a
closer look. Both phones are prone to cracks and scratches because of all that glass. But, they
differ in water-resistant capacity. iPhone XS has IP68 rating allows them to be submerged for up
to half an hour in up to 2 meters of water. While, the Xperia XZ3 has an additional IP65 rating
which covers jets of water from any direction. With these, Japanese manufacturer Sony has
struggled to gain a foothold in the smartphone market, while its American competitor iPhone has
dominated.

________2. Since I made it to the honor roll every quarter this year, my mom is going to buy me a
new phone for my birthday. So, I feel so excited whether to get an iPhone or a Galaxy. Getting
one would give me a chance to go through my old music collection. That would be cool. It’s worth
a shot.

_________3. What type of plant is a corn? Corn belongs to a family of grass. It is a grass with
seeds called kernels. Very few kernels grew on wild corn grass. It took thousands of years of
choosing the corn grass plants with the biggest seeds, or kernels, to make what we enjoy today as
corn on the cob. Now, we all know that corn is a grass.

_________4. The foundation of every pizza is the crust, and good crust comes from good dough.
In making a dough, start by adding your yeast sachet to a cup of warm water. Let the yeast
activate, then add two cups of flour, two tablespoons of olive oil, two teaspoons of sugar, and a
teaspoon of salt. Mix all of those together and wait half an hour for the dough to rise. Now, you’re
ready to roll the dough out!

________5. The purpose of any artwork is to communicate a message - to comment, scream

or sing about the world in which we find ourselves in. If there is no emotion behind the work, there
is no driving force – nothing to direct and shape your decision making. So, why do you want to
create an artwork? What is your purpose in doing such?

________6. Thousands of people die each year in car accidents involving drugs or alcohol. Lives
could be saved if our city adopts a free public vehicle service. By providing such a service, we
could prevent intoxicated drivers from endangering themselves or others.

_________7. Ice-cream is a delicious frozen treat that comes in a many different colors and
flavors. Two of my favorite flavors are strawberry and chocolate. These flavors are delicious. I
love the strawberry flavor for the granules of the fruit slowly melts in my mouth as I savor the taste.
Also, chocolate flavor is mouth – watering for it gives you a bitter – sweet and creamy tastes.
Even though more chocolate ice-cream is sold across the country than strawberry, each flavor
tastes great inside of a milk shake.

_________8. People of all ages benefit from regular physical activity. Physical activity leads to
improved physical fitness. Consequently, it helps the body systems to function at their optimal
efficiency associated with an individual’s ability to work effectively, to enjoy leisure time, to resist
disease and to respond easily to emergency situations.

_________9. Linux and Windows are both operating systems. Computers use them to run
programs. Linux is totally free and open source, so users can improve or otherwise modify the
source code. Windows is proprietary, so it costs money to use and users are prohibited from
altering the source code.

_________10. If you use too much effort in pitching the ball without rest, a serious elbow or
shoulder may be on the horizon. If you complain of elbow or shoulder pain, see a physician
familiar with sports injuries. But then, it is recommended to warm up properly by doing body
stretching, running and gradual pitching to prevent injuries. Of course, do not play all year round
because your body needs to recover from the physical demands of playing.
ASSESSMENT

Write an essay/article about COVID – 19 pandemic using a specific text structure of your choice.
You may use a separate sheet if necessary.

Criteria for Scoring:

Appropriate Use of Text Structure.........20 pts.

Mechanics............................................15 pts.

Creativity and Presentation...................15 pts.

Total.................................................... 50 pts.