Text Features in Expository Text

1. Text Features in Expository Text OR…How Authors say: THIS is important. You should PAY ATTENTION!!!

2. What is expository text again? • text books, • non-fiction trade (library) books, • newspaper & magazine articles, • directions, • essays, • speeches, • user manuals (how-to guides), • government documents (such as the driver’s license test booklet).

3. When we read expository text… Authors have ways of telling us that information is: • Important AND • Needs to be remembered We call these TEXT STRUCTURES!

4. What does text structure look like? BOLD PRINT A habitat is an environmental area that is inhabited by a species of animal, plant, or other type of organism.

5. What does text structure look like? colored text Often, authors will place important words or concepts in a different color to draw your attention. Highlighted text Or, they will highlight important material.

6. What does text structure look like? BIG TEXT small text Authors can also make text LARGER or smaller to place emphasis. Italics Sometimes they will use italics.

7. What does text structure look like? • In expository text, authors may use bullets to: • Highlight key points • Emphasize terms • Provide lists • Review important ideas

8. What does text structure look like? Index amphibian……..2,3,5 frog………………..2,5,7 habitat…………...2,4,6 toad…………………1,4 You will find an index in expository text. The index is located at the back of the book and helps the reader locate information quickly.

9. What does text structure look like? Tables/Charts and Graphs Authors use tables, graphs and charts to give the reader large amounts of information or show relationships with information. If an author provides a graph, a chart or a table, it is probably IMPORTANT information.

10. Tables and Graphs The amount of electric energy in an average household can easily be broken down. In the average home, 44% of an average bill is spent on cooling. Seventeen percent of the money spent is on heating and 7% on office expenses. Thirty-one percent of the cost is dedicated to lights and 1% of the energy is spent on motors that run in the house. Which is easier to read and understand?

11. What does text structure look like? Maps Authors place maps in expository text to help the reader to better understand the where of the information.

12. What does text structure look like? Authors use timelines to help the reader understand the order that events occur.

13. What does text structure look like? Index amphibian……..2,3,5 frog………………..2,5,7 habitat…………...2,4,6 toad…………………1,4 You will find an index in expository text. The index is located at the back of the book and helps the reader locate information quickly.

14. What does text structure look like? Table of Contents Frogs’ diet------------------6 Frogs’ habitat--------------5 Frogs’ Physical Traits------7 Other Information---------8 You will find a table of contents in expository text. The Table of Contents is located in the front of the book and helps the reader locate information quickly.

15. What does text structure look like? Glossary amphibian (n) – an organism that can live on land and in water frog (n) an amphibian with smooth skin that live in water more toad (n) – an amphibian with bumpy skin that live on land more than in water Expository text may also have a glossary. A glossary defines terms that readers may not understand when they are reading. The glossary is located at the back of the book.

16. What does text structure look like? Diagrams and Drawings Expository text may also have diagrams or drawings. Diagrams and drawings provide the reader with a visual image of the information. They can also show relationships between ideas that the author presents.

17. What does text structure look like? Pictures and Illustrations Flowers like these daisies can be found throughout the United States. Buses like this take children to and from school. Frogs, like the ones pictured above, live in wet habitats. Expository text usually has pictures and illustrations. Pictures and illustrations clarify points or even provide additional information on a subject. If an author includes pictures or illustrations, you should READ THEM!!!!.