Sequential order is the way something usually happens or is supposed to be done. User's manuals, directions of all kinds, and step-by-step instructions are structured in this way. An author using a sequential text structure might explain how to make lemonade or remove a paper jam from a printer. In both cases, the information would appear in the order needed to perform the task correctly.
Read this example of informational text that uses sequential order as its structure. Notice how the writer uses transitions to make each sentence flow into the next one so that the steps are easy for a reader to follow.
Fireworks shells are shot from mortars—tiny “cannons” made of short sections of steel pipe. The bottom of the mortar is filled with black powder, which provides the initial explosion that launches the shell. When the shell gets to the correct height, the fuse lights the bursting charge, and the resulting explosion sends the stars flying out into their stunning patterns.
What words in the paragraph help readers recognize that the text describes a sequence of events that happen the same way every time?
- When
- the resulting explosion
Question
Which topic should be described using sequential order: how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, how to know if you've caught a fish, or the best time to plant tomatoes?
