Structure terminology
What structure means
is the order and shape of a text: what the writer shows us first, how the focus moves, and where it ends. Language is about words; structure is about the whole.
Ask three questions:
- What does the writer focus on at the beginning, and why?
- How and why does the as the text goes on?
- How does it end, and what does that leave the reader wondering?
Think of the writer as a film director, choosing where to point the camera.
Key terms
Structure terms for Question 3
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Opening | How the text begins, such as in the middle of the action or with a setting |
| Shift in focus | The writer moves our attention to a new person, place or time |
| Zooming in / out | Moving from a wide view to a small detail, or the reverse |
| Flashback | A jump back to an earlier time |
| Foreshadowing | A hint about what will happen later |
| Contrast | Two very different things placed side by side |
| Cyclical structure | The ending returns to the beginning |
| Climax | The point of highest tension |
| Short paragraph or sentence | Makes a moment stand out |
Key terms
Writing about structure
Use the terms to explain why the writer orders things as they do. For example:
‘At the start, the writer focuses on the noisy engine, then on a woman trapped beside the track. This shift makes us curious about who she is.’
Common mistake
Don't analyse single words in Question 3: that is language. Write about the order of ideas, shifts in focus and the effect on the reader.