Text Cohesion
|
Estimated time to complete: 10-15 minutes Supported Objective:
|
When sentences, ideas, and details fit together clearly, readers can follow along easily, and the writing is coherent. The ideas tie together smoothly and clearly. To establish the links that readers need, you can use the methods listed here.
Repetition of a Key Term or Phrase
This helps to focus your ideas and to keep your reader on track.
Example: The problem with contemporary art is that it is not easily understood by most people. Contemporary art is deliberately abstract, and that means it leaves the viewer wondering what she is looking at.
Synonyms
Synonyms are words that have essentially the same meaning, and they provide some variety in your word choices, helping the reader to stay focused on the idea being discussed.
Example: Myths narrate sacred histories and explain sacred origins. These traditional narratives are, in short, a set of beliefs that are a very real force in the lives of the people who tell them.
Pronouns
This, that, these, those, he, she, it, they, and we are useful pronouns for referring back to something previously mentioned. Be sure, however, that what you are referring to is clear.
Example: When scientific experiments do not work out as expected, they are often considered failures until some other scientist tries them again. Those that work out better the second time around are the ones that promise the most rewards.
Transitional Words
There are many words in English that cue our readers to relationships between sentences, joining sentences together, such as however, therefore, in addition, also, but, moreover, etc. However, these words tend to be overused by ESL students, so pay close attention to using the other cohesion devices on this page and not only relying on transition words.
Example: I like autumn, and yet autumn is a sad time of the year, too. The leaves turn bright shades of red and the weather is mild, but I can’t help thinking ahead to the winter and the ice storms that will surely blow through here. In addition, that will be the season of chapped faces, too many layers of clothes to put on, and days when I’ll have to shovel heaps of snow from my car’s windshield.
Sentence Patterns
Sometimes repeated or parallel sentence patterns can help the reader follow along and keep ideas tied together. (Notice that in the transitional words example above, there was also a nice sentence pattern: "I like autumn, and yet autumn is a sad time of year")
Example: (from a speech by President John F. Kennedy) And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
Adapted from: OWL Purdue Resources Links to an external site.
|
Instructions: For each sentence below, decide which type of text cohesion is being used. There may be more than one.
*Note these are student examples taken from a semester where the topic was 'cognitive enhancement'.
1. Freedom is not a reason to deny the use of cognitive enhancement medicine; freedom is a reason to support its availability.
2. Some people who benefit from cognitive enhancement argue that these drugs have improved their academic performance and working efficiencies. However, the safety of these drugs still remain uncertain. Therefore, despite their prolific use, safety needs to be thoroughly examined before they are made easily available to college students.
3. In a study conducted, “One in five respondents said they had used drugs for non-medical reasons” (Maher, 2008, para. 4). Furthermore, this trend has been growing, with teenagers in high school experimenting with these drugs. Therefore, the issue of making these drugs available over the counter is one that needs to be addressed urgently.
4. Their main concern was the existence of side effects both long-term and short-term. The concerns of safety are not limited to this survey…
5. Cognitive enhancers can be said to be unfair even for the society and not just for an individual. Although societal inequality cannot always be prevented…
KEY: Use your cursor to highlight the answers.
1. repetition and sentence pattern
2. transitional words
3. transitional words
4. synonyms
5. synonyms