Textbooks and Nonfiction

Nonfiction Text Structures

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Text Features vs. Text Structures

• Last week we reviewed text features in nonfiction writing: things like a table of contents, glossary, index, photographs, captions, keywords, timelines, and more.

• Today, let's look at how nonfiction text can be structured!

Text Structure #1: Descriptive

• Non-fiction writing that is describing information about a topic to the reader is called descriptive.

• (In other words, it is giving you a decsription of the topic.)

Nonfiction texts that tell you the order of events are called sequential or chronological.

Multiple Choice

What type of nonfiction text structure is used below?

Soccer was invented more than 2,000 years ago in China. In 1863 in England, the "Cambridge Rules" led the way to modern soccer as we know it. Now, in 2020, soccer is the most popular sport in the world!

• Descriptive

• Sequential (or Chronological)

• Compare and Contrast

• Cause and Effect

• Problem and Solution

Multiple Choice

What type of nonfiction text structure is used below?

A huge concern in youth soccer leagues is head injuries. To prevent this, many soccer organizations do not allow young children to perform "headers" (where the ball is struck with your head). They are hopeful that this will help to prevent young soccer players from getting hurt.

• Descriptive

• Sequential (or Chronological)

• Compare and Contrast

• Cause and Effect

• Problem and Solution

Multiple Choice

What type of nonfiction text structure is used below?

In much of the world, the game we call soccer is called "futbol." Soccer and football have a few things in common -- they both have 11 players per side, for example. But the two games are quite different as well: in soccer, players cannot use their hands to score a goal. In football, you can run with the ball or throw it to a teammate for a touchdown!

• Descriptive

• Sequential (or Chronological)

• Compare and Contrast

• Cause and Effect

• Problem and Solution

Open Ended

Out of the five non-fiction text structures we have discussed today (descriptive, sequential, compare and contrast, cause and effect, and problem/solution), choose one and explain when it might work well in your own nonfiction writing.