Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences | Year 6 English

What students learn in AC9E6LY03

Students learn to analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences. They move from recognising the feature to explaining how it works in context, then applying it deliberately in their own reading, speaking, writing or multimodal creation.

Core idea: In English, choices in language, structure, literature and mode create meaning for a particular audience and purpose. A strong answer names the choice, gives evidence and explains the effect.

Success looks like

identify the relevant feature, strategy or text choice
use precise English metalanguage
support the answer with specific evidence
explain the effect in context
apply or revise the choice for a new audience and purpose

Key vocabulary

purpose: the reason for reading or viewing
strategy: a deliberate action used to monitor and build meaning
evidence: specific information from the text that supports an answer

Use these terms only when they help explain the actual example. Avoid dropping metalanguage into an answer without showing the evidence.

Concept model and worked thinking

Use the evidence-to-effect routine

What to notice	How to test it	Evidence of mastery
analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences	analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences	student explains the effect or reason
second context	apply the same idea in a new text	student transfers the idea
check	explain the effect with evidence	student justifies with precise evidence

Name the feature, strategy or choice.
Quote, describe or point to the exact evidence.
Explain what the evidence does for meaning, clarity, representation, relationship or audience response.
Check the explanation against the purpose of the whole text or task.

Worked transfer

Take an unseen example linked to this outcome. First identify the relevant choice, then rewrite, annotate, compare or present it in a second context so the idea is not only memorised.

Teacher prompt: What changed, what stayed the same, and how do you know the new version still suits the audience and purpose?

Curriculum coverage and elaborations

Content description: analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences

Descriptor focus: analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences

Common misconceptions

Answer hunting — Build meaning across the whole text, not from one isolated word.
Prediction never checked — Confirm or revise predictions using later evidence.
Purpose ignored — Choose a reading path and strategy that match the task.
Evidence copied without explanation — Explain why the selected detail supports the answer.

Guided learning activities

1. Annotate a model example

Students highlight the exact words, sentence parts, text features, visual choices or spoken moves connected to the descriptor.

2. Compare two versions

Students compare a weaker and stronger version, then explain which choices improve meaning, clarity, credibility, cohesion or audience effect.

3. Create, justify and revise

Students create a short response or text using the focus skill, justify the key choice and revise one part after feedback.

Revision Notes

Exam routine: feature or strategy → evidence → effect → context → check.

Important questions

Identify the exact feature or strategy in analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences. Answer with precise evidence and a short explanation.
Point to the evidence that supports the answer. Answer with precise evidence and a short explanation.
Explain how the choice changes meaning, effect, clarity or audience response. Answer with precise evidence and a short explanation.
Apply the idea in a fresh sentence, text extract, discussion or multimodal example. Answer with precise evidence and a short explanation.
Revise one answer or created text using the success criteria. Answer with precise evidence and a short explanation.

Support, core and extend

Support: provide a short model, limited choices and sentence stems such as “The feature is …”, “The evidence is …”, and “This affects meaning by …”.
Core: use an unseen example and require evidence plus a context-specific explanation.
Extend: compare two texts, modes, audiences or drafts and evaluate which choices are most effective.

AC9E6LY03 Teacher Slides

Project the fixed branded slide deck one slide at a time. Use it with the same evidence-to-effect routine taught in this topic guide.

Open Classroom View

How to use this unit

Learn from the Topic Guide and fixed Teacher Slides, complete the Worksheet, use Practice for supported feedback, then take the Test when ready.

🎥 Optional Video Lesson

The SkillrHub lesson remains the primary learning resource. This optional video reinforces the explanation; you can complete the lesson and practice without watching.

Back to the lesson

Before you watch:

Pause after each worked example.
Try the examples yourself.
Return to the SkillrHub lesson before continuing.

Recommended: Comparing Text Structures

Khan Academy — Compare text structures and consider how they guide an audience.

As you watch: Which structural choices help the reader follow the purpose?

Load video player Loads YouTube in this lesson. See the video notice below.

Try it: Compare two short texts on the same topic. Explain how one structural feature and one language choice help each reach its audience.

Video unavailable, inaccurate or unsuitable for this year? Report a video problem to SkillrHub by email. You can continue with the written lesson and practice resources.

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Curriculum equivalents: Victoria, NSW and international

Curriculum equivalents for Analyse how text structures and language features work together to...

Mapped skill: analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences

These references identify matching or closely related learning. Curriculum sequence, terminology and depth vary, so teachers should use the mapped skill and lesson difficulty to confirm suitability.

Region	Curriculum framework	Closest level or code
Australia	Australian Curriculum v9.0	AC9E6LY03 · Year 6
Victoria	Victorian Curriculum F–10 Version 2.0 — English	VC2E6LY03 · Level 6
New South Wales	NSW English K–10 Syllabus (2022)	EN3-RECOM-01 · Stage 3
United States (USA)	Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts	Grade 6
Canada (Ontario)	Ontario Curriculum — English	Grade 6
United Kingdom (England)	National Curriculum in England — English	Year 7, Key Stage 3
India	NCERT / CBSE — English	Class 6

Australian Curriculum v9.0 is the canonical source for this SkillrHub lesson. Victoria and NSW entries name the closest published state codes or outcomes; international entries are planning references rather than claims of identical curricula.

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Topic reference: AC9E6LY03 — AC9E6LY03: Analyse how text structures and language features work together to meet the purpose of a text, and engage and influence audiences

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Official curriculum references

Related Year 6 English topics

Learn: Text structures and language features working together

Learning intention: Identify purpose and audience, map the dominant structure, locate language and multimodal choices, and explain how the combined pattern engages or influences readers.

How to think

Name the precise strategy or choice.
Point to exact evidence.
Explain how it serves meaning, audience or purpose.
Check the claim against the whole task.
Apply or revise deliberately.

Strategy	Original example	Why it works
purpose and structure	A conservation article presents a problem, explains causes, compares solutions and recommends action.	The problem–solution structure guides readers towards a reasoned recommendation.
cause–effect language	Because plastic blocks drains, streets flood after heavy rain.	The causal connective makes the relationship between problem and consequence explicit.
comparison structure	The report groups solar and wind power under matching headings for cost, reliability and impact.	Parallel organisation helps readers compare the options fairly.
persuasive modality	The council should protect the wetland because surveys show declining bird numbers.	Moderate modality combines a recommendation with evidence instead of an unsupported command.
formal register	The report states, “The trial produced a measurable reduction in waste.”	Precise, formal wording supports an informative purpose and public audience.
evaluative vocabulary	The headline calls the proposal a “costly gamble”.	The metaphor and negative evaluation position readers before evidence is presented.
anecdotal opening	A speech begins with one child’s flooded bedroom before presenting regional data.	The personal story creates emotional engagement; the data then broadens the claim.
visual evidence	A graph beside the argument shows a five-year decline in water use.	The visual quantifies the trend that the prose interprets.
counterargument	Some residents prefer more parking; however, the safety audit recommends a wider footpath.	Acknowledging another view before rebuttal can strengthen credibility.
cohesion	Repeated terms—habitat, wetland and this ecosystem—carry the main idea across paragraphs.	The lexical chain keeps readers oriented while the argument develops.
audience adaptation	The student webpage uses short sections, definitions and labelled diagrams; the council submission uses formal evidence paragraphs.	Different structures and language serve different audiences while preserving the central information.
combined analysis	The urgent heading, problem–solution order, statistics and command “Act now” all support a campaign purpose.	Structure and language work together to create urgency and direct action.

Common mistakes

A counterargument should weaken or mock the other side. Replace the absolute rule with an evidence-based explanation.
All repetition should be removed from polished writing. Replace the absolute rule with an evidence-based explanation.
One version suits every audience equally well. Replace the absolute rule with an evidence-based explanation.
Naming several features without linking them is complete analysis. Replace the absolute rule with an evidence-based explanation.

Check your understanding

Apply the strategy to an unfamiliar text or communication task. Name the choice, cite evidence, explain its effect and justify one improvement.