IXL | Identify and analyze text structures

Read the text.

When you turn the lights on or off, the change causes your eyes to change, too. Light goes into your eyes through the pupils, the dark openings in the middle of your eyes. When the light is dim, there isn't as much light to let you see. Since there is less light, your pupils become larger to catch as much light as possible. For this reason, you can see even without much light. When the light becomes bright, your pupils get smaller. This is so that your eyes don't get too much light.

Which text structure does the text use?

problem-solution

cause-effect

ref_doc_title.

Learn with an example

question

Read the text.

Which text structure does the text use?

cause-effect

problem-solution

key idea

Writers can organize their ideas in different ways. These ways of organizing writing are called text

structures.

Different text structures are good for different kinds of tasks. When you can tell how a text is organized, it can help you understand the author's purpose for writing it.

Text structure	Where you might find it	Words and phrases to look for
A descriptive structure tells you a list of details about an object, scene, or topic.	a paragraph about what Tyrannosaurus Rex looked like	large, small, old, new, rough, smooth, near, far, many, few
A sequential structure tells you about events that happen in a certain order.	a recipe for how to make a blueberry pie	first, second, next, before, during, until, after, then, finally
A cause-effect structure shows the causes and the effects, or results, of an event.	an essay about how recycling helps the environment	because, since, due to, reason, led to, as a result, so
A problem-solution structure explains a problem and offers possible solutions.	an article about ways to get more people to vote	issue, question, puzzle, answer, suggest, solve, fix
A compare-contrast structure shows how two (or more) things are the same or different.	a chapter about the differences between whales and sharks	like, too, both, same, common, as well as, unlike, on the other hand, while, instead, different, however

solution

The text uses a cause-effect structure to show how the pupil of the eye changes when the light changes.

Cause	Effect
lights turn on or off	your eye changes
light is dim	your pupil gets larger
pupil gets larger	you can see without much light
light becomes bright	pupil gets smaller
pupil gets smaller	eye doesn't get too much light

In the text, certain words and phrases help to organize ideas in a cause-effect structure. Notice the words

causes,

since,

and

when,

as well as the phrases for this reason and so

that:

reason,

you can see even without much light. When the light becomes bright, your pupils get smaller. This is so that your eyes don't get too much light.

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$Confetti$

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Work it out

Not feeling ready yet? These can help:

L.1Determine the order of events in informational texts

L.2Compare and contrast in informational texts

L.4Match causes and effects in informational texts

L.5Match problems with their solutions

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