What is the primary purpose of text features such as headings and captions?

• A. To lengthen the text.
• B. To enhance readability by formatting.
• C. To guide understanding.
• D. To support citations.

Answer: (C)

Text features like headings and captions are there to help you understand and navigate the material more easily. Headings break the text into topics or sections, signaling what each part will cover so you can skim and decide what to read in more detail. Captions explain what a visual—like a photo, chart, or diagram—illustrates and how it relates to the surrounding text, which helps you interpret the image correctly. Together, they organize information and guide your comprehension as you read.

They aren’t primarily about making the text longer or just formatting for readability, and captions aren’t mainly for citations, even though captions can include source information and headings do assist navigation. The main purpose is to guide understanding by signaling topics and clarifying visuals.