Structuring a text: paragraphs, sentences, conjunctions

In a nutshell

It is important to know how to organise and structure your text to create different effects. In this summary you will learn the different features of structure and organisation.

Ways of structuring and organising text

Structuring a text can be difficult because there are a lot of things to remember. The table below shows all the different structural devices that you might look out for in a text:

sentences and word order	There are many different types of sentences, including short sentences and long sentences, and they all have different effects!
conjunctions	This feature links ideas from different writing together and makes the meaning flow easily.
openings and endings	This feature is just as important as writing the story itself! The opening needs to grab the readers attention and the ending should leave an impact on them.
paragraphs	Paragraphs are grouped sentences within a piece of writing, they can be short or long. Their length also has an impact on the effect.

Sentences and word order

There are many types of sentences, short sentences and long sentences. So what do the different lengths of sentences mean? Different sentence lengths are used for different purposes and effect. Short sentences can create shock or surprises whilst longer sentences might be used to give extra information and detail.

Example: Short sentence

He ran fast.

This is an example of a short sentence which creates tension. We know that the boy is running and he is running fast. This is all the information that we need to know for this moment. It has a direct effect on the reader.

Example: Long sentence

The thunder rumbled in the clouds echoing amongst the sky.

This is an example of a long sentence. Have a look at the detail used to describe the stormy atmosphere.

Conjunctions

Conjunctions can be within a sentence or between sentences. Conjunctions link phrases, clauses and sentences together. There are lots of different conjunctions, such as: 'and', 'although', and 'but'.

Example:

Blake is a highly intelligent but sometimes quiet cat.

The conjunction 'but' links the phrases 'highly intelligent' and 'sometimes quiet' cat together.

Openings and endings

The beginning of a story has to grab the reader's interest and it is therefore important to make sure that the opening does just that. The ending is just as important as the beginning of a story because it gives the writer a chance to leave an impact on the reader.

Example: An opening

Sharp claws gripped into my skin.

This opening will definitely capture the reader's attention because it makes them question 'who does the claw belong to?', 'what is going to happen next?' These are questions that you want the reader to be asking.

Example: An ending

There was a high pitched shriek as I ran back into the house. Was I going to survive the night?

This is an example of a cliffhanger, a great way to end a story because it keeps the readers thinking even after they have turned the final page.

Paragraphs

Paragraphs help organise writing so that it is easier to read. They are used in writing to introduce new characters, new stories or new information. Paragraphs can be short or long in length creating different effects. Short paragraphs create shock in the reader and long paragraphs can be used to add extra detail.

A new paragraph always starts on a new line and is often indented.
A new paragraph is signalled by missing a line.
Paragraphs have no set length.