Text structure
SAT glossary · Reading & Writing
Definition
How a passage is organized (problem-solution, claim-counterclaim, chronological). Tested by questions on the function of a sentence or the passage's overall shape.
Text structure in plain English
Text structure refers to the overall organizational pattern a passage follows — common patterns include problem-then-solution, claim-then-counterclaim, or straightforward chronological order (events told in time sequence). This gets tested through questions asking about the FUNCTION of a specific sentence within the passage, or about the passage's overall organizational shape as a whole.
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