3.3 Text Coherence and Cohesion

Cohesive devices are the words, phrases, and techniques that create explicit connections between parts of a text. They help readers understand how ideas relate to each other.

1. Reference (Pronouns and Demonstratives)

Using pronouns and demonstratives to refer back to previously mentioned items.

Personal pronouns: he, she, it, they, him, her, them
- "Maria studied hard. She passed all her exams."
- "The students were nervous. They had never taken such a difficult test."

Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
- "The study was published last year. This research changed our understanding."
- "Many factors contribute to climate change. These include..."

Important: Make sure your reference is clear. Avoid ambiguity!
- Unclear: "John told Peter that he had won." (Who won? John or Peter?)
- Clear: "John told Peter that Peter had won." or "John told Peter, 'You won!'"

2. Substitution and Ellipsis

Substitution: Replacing a word with a substitute word
- "I'll have coffee." "I'll have the same." (same = coffee)
- "She can swim fast, and so can I." (so = swim fast)
- "Is he coming?" "I think so." (so = that he is coming)

Ellipsis: Omitting repeated words that can be understood
- "Can you swim?" "Yes, I can [swim]."
- "She plays guitar better than I [play guitar]."
- "I would help if I could [help]."

3. Conjunction/Linking Words

Explicit markers that show the relationship between ideas.

Addition (adding similar ideas):
- also, furthermore, moreover, in addition, besides, too
- similarly, likewise, equally, in the same way

Contrast (showing differences or unexpected results):
- however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand
- in contrast, conversely, whereas, while, although
- despite this, even so, yet, still

Cause and Effect (showing reasons and results):
- therefore, consequently, as a result, hence, thus
- because of this, for this reason, accordingly
- so, that is why

Examples (illustrating points):
- for example, for instance, such as, including
- to illustrate, as an example, namely, specifically

Sequence/Time (showing order):
- first, second, third, finally, lastly
- then, next, subsequently, afterwards, meanwhile
- previously, earlier, later, eventually

Summary/Conclusion:
- in conclusion, to summarize, overall, in summary
- to sum up, in brief, all in all, ultimately

4. Lexical Cohesion

Creating connections through vocabulary choices.

Repetition: Repeating key words for emphasis
- "Education is important. Education opens doors. Education changes lives."

Synonyms and near-synonyms:
- "The dog ran away. The animal was frightened. The pet had escaped."

Superordinates (general category words):
- "I bought apples, oranges, and bananas. This fruit was for the party."

Collocations (words that commonly go together):
- "make a decision," "do homework," "strong coffee"

While cohesive devices create explicit connections, coherence comes from the overall organization and logic of your text. A text can have many linking words but still feel incoherent if the ideas do not follow a logical pattern.

Paragraph Structure for Coherence:

1. Topic Sentence
Start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.
- "Social media has transformed how we communicate."
- "Exercise provides numerous benefits for mental health."

2. Supporting Sentences
Develop the topic with explanations, examples, and evidence.
- Each sentence should relate to the topic sentence
- Ideas should flow logically from one to the next

3. Concluding Sentence
End with a sentence that summarizes or transitions to the next paragraph.
- "Clearly, social media has changed communication forever."
- "Given these benefits, regular exercise should be a priority."

Organizational Patterns:

Chronological (Time Order):
First... then... next... finally...
"First, I gathered all the ingredients. Then, I mixed them together..."

Spatial (Location Order):
On the left... in the center... to the right...
"On the left side of the painting, we see a dark forest..."

Order of Importance:
Most importantly... also significant... finally...
"Most importantly, education opens doors to opportunity..."

Compare and Contrast:
Similarly... on the other hand... however...
"Norway has long, dark winters. Similarly, Sweden experiences limited daylight..."

Cause and Effect:
Because... as a result... therefore...
"Because temperatures are rising, ice caps are melting..."

Problem and Solution:
The problem is... one solution is... alternatively...
"Many students struggle with motivation. One solution is to set small, achievable goals..."

The "Known to New" Principle:

Good writing moves from known information to new information within and between sentences.

- Start sentences with information the reader already knows
- End sentences with new information
- This creates a smooth flow of ideas

Example:
"Climate change is a global crisis. This crisis affects every continent. Particularly affected are coastal regions, which face rising sea levels."

Each sentence starts with something mentioned before (known) and ends with new information.