What is Cohesion?
- it is the connection of ideas at the ------------------------------------------------------------------------
sentence level - it focuses on the “grammatical”
aspects of writing 1. **Coherence:**
Good cohesion is achieved through the following five - Coherence refers to the overall clarity and unity of
main methods: a piece of writing. It ensures that all the ideas
1. Repeated words/ideas – one way to achieve presented in a text are logically connected and that
cohesion is to repeat words, or to repeat ideas using the information is organized in a way that makes
different words sense to the reader.
2. Reference words – are words which are used to - Achieving coherence involves presenting ideas in a
refer to something which is mentioned elsewhere in logical order, using appropriate transitions between
the text, usually in a preceding sentence. The most sentences and paragraphs, and maintaining a clear
common type is pronoun. and consistent focus on the main topic or purpose.
3. Transitional Signals – are also called cohesive
devices or linking words. These are words or phrases 2. **Cohesion:**
which show the relationship between ides. - Cohesion focuses on the specific techniques and
4. Synonyms – are words that have the same or nearly elements used within sentences and paragraphs to
the same meaning as another word. They provide create a sense of connection and flow.
alternative word choices that can add variety to a text - It involves using cohesive devices such as
and can help eliminate unnecessary repetition. transitional words, pronouns, and conjunctions to link
5. Parallelism – is the use of matching words, phrases, sentences and ideas. Additionally, repetition of key
clauses or sentence structures to express similar ideas terms, maintaining consistent verb tenses, and
employing parallel structures contribute to cohesion.
What is Coherence? - it is the connection of ideas at - Cohesion ensures that there is a smooth and
the idea level - “rhetorical” aspects of writing which natural progression from one sentence to the next,
include developing and supporting arguments (e.g. helping readers follow the writer's thought process
thesis statement development, synthesizing and without confusion.
integrating readings, organizing and clarifying ideas) -
it is the overall sense of unity in a passage including
Cohesion means that the essay is structured in a clear,
both the main point of sentences and the main point
easily understandable way, with good transitions,
of each paragraph
points that are backed up by evidence, and no
Coherence involves…
unnecessary or wandering-off-the topic stuff.
Summarizing the overall argument of an essay in
Coherence is similar but also includes the idea that
presenting ideas in a the introductory paragraph
the essay “makes sense “. It’s organized and also is
logical sequence
saying something that any educated person can
FEATURES beginning each paragraph putting separate,
understand. If it lacks coherence, that’s the same as
major with a ‘topic sentence’, points into separate
saying, “I don’t know what this writer is even trying to
followed by supporting paragraphs sentences
say.”
Coherence can be achieved by:
writing a concept map or outline write down the
main idea of each paragraph – called a topic sentence Cohesion relates to the micro level of the text, i.e. the
words and sentences and how they join
check to see if the topic sentences are connected to
together. Coherence, in contrast, relates to the
the thesis statement of the paper of have strayed
organisation and connection of ideas and whether
from the main argument
they can be understood by the reader, and as such is
How do you check whether you achieve coherence?
concerned with the macro level features of a text,
Analyze the essay paragraph by paragraph. . Do the
such as topic sentences, thesis statement,
paragraph breaks come in natural places? Does every
the summary in the concluding paragraph (dealt with
paragraph focus only on one aspect of the problem?
in the essay structure section), and other 'bigger'
Read the paper from beginning until the end
features including headings such as those used
without any pauses. Does it give you a sense of
in reports.
completeness and unity?
Think about your impressions. Can you tell straight
away what the main idea of the text is after you have
read it? It is clear what opinion the author sticks with?
