Text Structure

SAT Reading — Text Structure and Function Questions ## What These Questions Ask Text structure questions ask you to identify how a passage is organized or what role a specific sentence plays within the passage. Common question stems: - "Which choice best describes the overall structure of the text?" - "The main function of the underlined sentence is to..." - "How does the second paragraph relate to the first?" ## Two Types: Whole-Passage vs. Sentence-Level Whole-passage structure questions ask about the organization of the entire text. Common structures: - Claim → Evidence: Author makes an argument, then supports it with evidence - Problem → Solution: Describes a problem, then presents a way to solve it - Compare and contrast: Shows similarities and differences between two things - Chronological: Events presented in time order - Cause and effect: Explains why something happened and what resulted Sentence-level function questions give you one sentence (usually underlined) and ask what it does within the passage. The sentence might: - Introduce the main idea (thesis) - Provide a specific example to support a broader claim - Transition from one idea to another - Acknowledge a counterargument (concession) - Return to the main point after a digression ## How to Approach Structure Questions For whole-passage structure: 1. Identify what the passage opens with (claim? problem? background?) 2. Identify what the passage does in the middle (evidence? counterargument? explanation?) 3. Identify how it ends (conclusion? solution? implication?) 4. Pick the answer that accurately describes all three parts For sentence-function questions: 1. Read the sentence in its full context (sentence before it + sentence after it) 2. Ask: what is the purpose of this sentence in relation…