Master Digital SAT Reading and Writing with How to Answer Text Structure and Purpose Questions
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Text structure and purpose are important parts of the digital SAT reading and writing test. To answer these questions, you need to understand how the author uses text and why.
This includes analyzing text structure, such as narrative text, descriptive text, or cause and effect text structure.
With reading practice and common text structures like compare and contrast, you can learn to identify text organization and find the main idea in a specific paragraph. This guide will help you improve your skills step by step.
How to Answer Text Structure and Purpose Questions
Some of these questions are like the central idea questions where the answer is related to the ‘central’ or ‘main idea’. But not always. Sometimes the answer is about why the author is saying what they are saying in the text, or, what a piece of text that is underlined means in the context of the text.
TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 1
The following text is from Holly Goldberg Sloan’s 2017 novel Short.
More than two years ago my parents bought a piano from some people who were moving to Utah. Mom and Dad gave it to my brothers and me for Christmas. I had to act really happy because it was such a big present, but I pretty much hated the thing from the second it was carried into the hallway upstairs, which is right next to my bedroom. The piano glared at me. It was like a songbird in a cage. It wanted to be set free.
©2017 by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
Choose 1 answer:
- A It suggests that the narrator’s brothers are talented piano players.
- B It describes the event that led the narrator’s parents to buy a piano.
- C It explains why the narrator always wanted a piano close to her bedroom.
- D It establishes how the narrator feels about the piano.
HOW TO ANSWER TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 1
- The test never mentions brothers, so remove A
- B is not incorrect, but it is not the main purpose of the text
- C is the opposite, the author “hated” it
- D so it is about how the author felt, so D is the answer
TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 2
The following text is from the 1884 poem “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox.
Laugh, and the world laughs with you; Weep, and you weep alone; For the brave old earth must borrow its mirth, It has troubles enough of its own. Sing, and the hills will answer; Sigh, it is lost on the air; The echoes rebound to a joyful sound, But shrink from voicing care.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
Choose 1 answer:
- A To explore how people use laughter and song to cope with difficult emotions
- B To make the case that it is only through solitude that we can come to truly appreciate the full range of our emotions
- C To argue that people should be equally sympathetic toward the positive emotions and the negative emotions of others
- D To claim that positive emotions are well-received by the world, while negative emotions are shunned
HOW TO ANSWER TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 2
- The text is about both joy and the opposite, so not A
- It never mentions about boing alone leading to understanding. not B
- The author is not giving advice or making an argument, not C.
- D is a summary of the text, so D is the answer.
TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 3
Q3. The following text is from Srimati Svarna Kumari Devi’s 1894 novel The Fatal Garland (translated by A. Christina Albers in 1910). Shakti is walking near a riverbank that she visited frequently during her childhood.
She crossed the woods she knew so well. The trees seemed to extend their branches like welcoming arms. They greeted her as an old friend. Soon she reached the river-side.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined portion in the text as a whole?
Choose 1 answer:
- A It suggests that Shakti feels uncomfortable near the river.
- B It indicates that Shakti has lost her sense of direction in the woods.
- C It emphasizes Shakti’s sense of belonging in the landscape.
- D It conveys Shakti’s appreciation for her long-term friendships.
HOW TO ANSWER TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 3
- The underlined text suggests the trees know the girl and she is welcome like a friend.
- So A and B are negative, so not these
- C seems positive, so a candidate
- D has nothing to do with the text, so C is the correct answer.
TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 4
Q4. In many agricultural environments, the banks of streams are kept forested to protect water quality, but it’s been unclear what effects these forests may have on stream biodiversity. To investigate the issue, biologist Xingli Giam and colleagues studied an Indonesian oil palm plantation, comparing the species richness of forested streams with that of nonforested streams. Giam and colleagues found that species richness was significantly higher in forested streams, a finding the researchers attribute to the role leaf litter plays in sheltering fish from predators and providing food resources.
Which choice best states the main purpose of the text?
Choose 1 answer:
- A It explains the differences between stream-protection strategies used in oil palm plantations and stream-protection strategies used in other kinds of agricultural environments.
- B It presents a study that addresses an unresolved question about the presence of forests along streams in agricultural environments.
- C It discusses research intended to settle a debate about how agricultural yields can be increased without negative effects on water quality.
- D It describes findings that challenge a previously held view about how fish that inhabit streams in agricultural environments attempt to avoid predators
HOW TO ANSWER TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 4
- The text describes how streams have better resources for life if in a forest.
- It is not about oil palm or water quality, so not A or C
- Does it answer an ‘unresolved question’ – the text does say ‘but it’s been unclear’ and ‘To investigate the issue’ so B is a candidate
- It mentions ‘sheltering fish from predators’ but this is not the main purpose of the text, so the answer is B
TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 5
Q5. Porcelain originated in China around 2,000 years ago, but its production remained a mystery to the Western world for centuries. During the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD), the Chinese began exporting porcelain objects to Europe. Captivated by the delicate beauty, translucence, and strength of the “white gold,” the Europeans became obsessed with discovering the secret to its creation. It wasn’t until the early 18th century that the alchemist Johann Friedrich Böttger unlocked the secret, producing the first hard-paste porcelain manufactured outside of China in his factory in Meissen, Germany.
Which choice best describes the function of the underlined sentence in the text as a whole?
Choose 1 answer:
- A It describes the person responsible for introducing porcelain to Europe.
- B It emphasizes the longstanding European desire to create porcelain themselves.
- C It identifies when and where porcelain eventually began to be produced in Europe.
- D It suggests that Europeans eventually innovated on the older Chinese techniques of porcelain production.
HOW TO ANSWER TEXT STRUCTURE AND PURPOSE QUESTION 5
- This is quite hard as all the answers could be correct, but it exactly what is the underlined part really mean, what role it has in the text, relevant to the first part.
- It does talk about a person but it does not ‘describe’ him, and did he introduce porcelain? so not A
- B is true, but the underlined text really talks about the who and when rather than the desire, not B.
- C is a clear match for the text, so really likely it is C
- D techniques were not mentioned, so C is a much better answer.
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FAQ: Answering Text Structure and Purpose Questions on the SAT
What is the text structure and purpose on the SAT?
On the SAT, text structure means how the passage is organized, such as chronological, compare and contrast, or cause and effect. The author’s purpose is the reason for writing the text, like to inform, describe, or argue. These questions test your reading comprehension and understanding of how a passage is built.
How to answer text structure and purpose questions?
First, read the passage carefully and notice how the ideas are organized. Look for words or phrases that show time, cause, contrast, or steps. These help you identify the structure, like chronological order or problem and solution. Think about why the author wrote the text and what they want the reader to learn or feel. Use active reading to highlight key points and practice with reading and writing questions to improve your skills.
What is the structure of the SAT writing?
In the digital SAT, the reading and writing parts are combined. Each question is based on a short passage. Some questions test how the text is organized or if it makes sense in context. You may be asked to understand the overall structure, connect ideas, or choose the best transition words. The writing part focuses on clarity, word choice, and how well the ideas are organized.
What is the text structure and author’s purpose?
Text structure is the way the text is organized. Common types include compare and contrast, cause and effect, descriptive, chronological, and narrative. The author’s purpose is what the author is trying to do, like explain something, describe a situation, or persuade the reader. Knowing the structure helps you understand the purpose more clearly and improves comprehension.
SAT Reading: Types of Text Structure and Main Idea
In the SAT reading section, you need to understand the types of text structure used in each passage. Common structures include compare and contrast, cause and effect, chronological order, and problem and solution. These help you follow the sequence of events and identify key elements. Knowing the structure of the text helps you find the main idea and see how the author uses words and phrases to convey meaning. To improve your reading comprehension, try practice questions that ask you to summarize, analyze structure, and understand the author’s purpose. These reading and writing skills are important for success in the digital SAT.
Further tips for understanding text structure and purpose
Practice reading different types of text and ask how each one is organized. Try to identify the overall structure of the text, such as whether it shows similarities and differences or explains events in order. Use graphic organizers to map out ideas, clarify key concepts, and summarize main points. Look for transitional words that connect ideas. This will help you develop reading skills and prepare for the structure and purpose questions in the SAT practice test.
Test your knowledge of craft and structure SAT questions at different levels at Khan Academy