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- Analysing structure
Analysing structure
Structure is the order the writer puts things in, and how that shapes the reader's experience. It is about the whole text, not single words.
Structural features
Opening: how does it hook the reader? Setting, character or action?
Shifts in focus: from outside to inside, from wide to close, from past to present.
Sentence and paragraph length: a one-line paragraph creates emphasis.
Ending: a cliffhanger, a twist or a return to the start (cyclical structure).
Shifts in focus: from outside to inside, from wide to close, from past to present.
Sentence and paragraph length: a one-line paragraph creates emphasis.
Ending: a cliffhanger, a twist or a return to the start (cyclical structure).
Useful terms
Foreshadowing: hints at what will happen later.
Flashback: a jump back in time.
Climax: the point of highest tension.
Perspective: whose point of view we see events from.
Flashback: a jump back in time.
Climax: the point of highest tension.
Perspective: whose point of view we see events from.
Writing about structure
Use phrases like: "At the start, the writer focuses on...", "The focus then shifts to...", "This creates..." Always explain why the writer made the choice.
A story opens with a calm description of a village, then ends the paragraph with: "Nobody heard the scream." Why?
- The opening builds a peaceful, ordinary setting.
- The short final sentence is a sudden shift in mood.
- The contrast shocks the reader and creates suspense, so they want to read on.
Answer: The sudden shift creates shock and suspense.
Structure is about order and shifts: openings, changes of focus, sentence and paragraph length, and endings. Always explain the effect on the reader.
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