Coherence & Cohesion

Connect ideas, sentences and paragraphs using a variety of cohesive devices:

• logical bridges (parallel construction)
  • carry the same idea of a topic over from sentence to sentence, i.e. successive sentences are constructed in parallel form

e.g. In the first stage, an idea can be generated by using a mind-map and some discussion.  In the next stage, a clear plan of action can be produced in the form of a list.

• verbal bridges (back referencing/linking words)
  • key words/phrases might be repeated in a number of sentences, or synonyms utilised instead to avoid exact repetition.

e.g. There are three stages to the pre-writing process: one to effect the generation of ideas, another to facilitate an action plan, and the third to research the information to be included in your text.  In the first stage, an idea can be generated by using a mind-map and some discussion.

• words/phrases to link ideas between sentences for smooth transition

e.g. writing is a process, which can take a long time and involve many obstacles.  However, when you are finished, you’ll see that it was worth the effort.

Coherence and cohesion are essential for aiding readability and idea communication.  Coherence is about the unity of the ideas and cohesion the unity of structural elements.  One way to do this is through the use of cohesive devices: logical bridges (repetition), verbal bridges (synonyms), linking words, and clear back referencing.  If these types of devices are missing in the text, it not only becomes more difficult to read the text, but also to understand its contents since the reader must guess how the various parts of the paragraph or text are connected, which will involve re-reading sentences or larger sections more than once.