Text Structure — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
It rained all day. The picnic was canceled.
Corrected: Because it rained all day, the picnic was canceled.
Cause-and-effect text structure uses signal words such as because, so, and as a result to connect a cause to its effect for Grade 4 readers.
2. Fix the sentence:
Maya practiced every day. She won the spelling bee.
Corrected: Maya practiced every day, so she won the spelling bee.
The signal word so shows that one event caused another, a key Grade 4 cause-and-effect text structure marker.
3. Fix the sentence:
The pond froze. The ducks flew south.
Corrected: The pond froze; as a result, the ducks flew south.
The phrase as a result is a Grade 4 cause-and-effect signal that introduces the outcome of an earlier event.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The signal word because tells the reader the reason something happened.
Because is a cause signal word in Grade 4 cause-and-effect text structure under RI.4.5.
2. An effect is what happens as a result of a cause.
An effect is the result of a cause, and Grade 4 readers spot it using phrases like as a result.
3. The Grade 4 signal word because at the start of a sentence often shows a cause.
Sentences that start with because introduce the cause in Grade 4 cause-and-effect text structure.
4. When one event makes another event happen, the text structure is called cause and effect.
Cause-and-effect text structure pairs a cause with its effect, a Grade 4 RI.4.5 skill.
Part C: Short Answer
Answer each question in one or two complete sentences.
1. Name three Grade 4 cause-and-effect signal words or phrases.
Sample answer: Three Grade 4 cause-and-effect signal words are because, so, and as a result. Other helpful phrases include therefore, due to, and leads to. These words show how one event causes another in a Grade 4 passage.
Recognizing signal words like because and so helps Grade 4 readers identify cause-and-effect text structure for RI.4.5.
2. How does cause-and-effect text structure help a Grade 4 reader understand a passage?
Sample answer: Cause-and-effect text structure helps Grade 4 readers see why events happen. The cause explains the reason, and the effect shows the result. Signal words like because and so make these connections clear in a passage.
Cause-and-effect structure clarifies why and how events occur, supporting Grade 4 comprehension under RI.4.5.