Cohesion and Coherence 2012 2

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Cohesion and Coherence The following paragraph is unified and cohesive.

Notice how the italicized words and phrases (called transitions) guide us along, helping us see how one detail leads to the next. Why I Don't Make My Bed Ever since I moved into my own apartment last fall, I have gotten out of the habit of making my bed--except on Fridays, of course, when I change the sheets. Although some people may think that I am a slob, I have some sound reasons for breaking the bedmaking habit. In the first place, I am not concerned about maintaining a tidy bedroom because no one except me ever ventures in there. If there is ever a fire inspection or a surprise date, I suppose I can dash in there to fluff up the pillow and slap on a spread. Otherwise, I am not bothered. In addition, I find nothing uncomfortable about crawling into a rumpled mass of sheets and blankets. On the contrary, I enjoy poking out a cozy space for myself before drifting off to sleep. Also, I think that a tightly made bed is downright uncomfortable: entering one makes me feel like a loaf of bread being wrapped and sealed. Finally, and most importantly, I think bed-making is an awful way to waste time in the morning. I would rather spend those precious minutes checking my email or feeding the cat than tucking in corners or snapping the spread. Transitional words and phrases guide readers from one sentence to the next. Although they most often appear at the beginning of a sentence, they may also show up after the subject. Here are the common transitional expressions, grouped according to the type of relationship shown by each. 1. Addition Transitions and also besides first, second, third in addition in the first place, in the second place, in the third place furthermore moreover to begin with, next, finally Example In the first place, no "burning" in the sense of combustion, as in the burning of wood, occurs in a volcano; moreover, volcanoes are not necessarily mountains; furthermore, the activity takes place not always at the summit but more commonly on the sides or flanks; and finally, the "smoke" is not smoke but condensed steam. (Fred Bullard, Volcanoes in History) 2. Cause-Effect Transitions accordingly and so as a result consequently
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for this reason hence so then therefore thus Example The ideologue is often brilliant. Consequently some of us distrust brilliance when we should distrust the ideologue. (Clifton Fadiman) 3. Comparison Transitions by the same token in like manner in the same way in similar fashion likewise similarly Example When you start with a portrait and search for a pure form, a clear volume, through successive eliminations, you arrive inevitably at the egg. Likewise, starting with the egg and following the same process in reverse, one finishes with the portrait.(Pablo Picasso) 4. Contrast Transitions but however in contrast instead nevertheless on the contrary on the other hand still yet Example Every American, to the last man, lays claim to a sense of humor and guards it as his most significant spiritual trait, yet rejects humor as a contaminating element wherever found. America is a nation of comics and comedians; nevertheless, humor has no stature and is accepted only after the death of the perpetrator. (E. B. White) 5. Conclusion and Summary Transitions and so after all at last finally
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in brief in closing in conclusion on the whole to conclude to summarize Example Reporters are not paid to operate in retrospect. Because when news begins to solidify into current events and finally harden into history, it is the stories we didnt write, the questions we didnt ask that prove far, far more damaging than the ones we did. (Anna Quindlen) 6. Example Transitions as an example for example for instance specifically thus to illustrate Example With all the ingenuity involved in hiding delicacies on the body, this process automatically excludes certain foods. For example, a turkey sandwich is welcome, but the cumbersome cantaloupe is not. (Steve Martin, "How to Fold Soup") 7. Insistence Transitions in fact indeed no yes Example The joy of giving is indeed a pleasure, especially when you get rid of something you dont want. (Frank Butler, Going My Way) 8. Place Transitions above alongside beneath beyond farther along in back in front nearby on top of to the left to the right
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under upon Example What did it matter where you lay once you were dead? In a dirty sump or in a marble tower on top of a high hill? You were dead, you were sleeping the big sleep, you were not bothered by things like that. (Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep) 9. Restatement Transitions in other words in short in simpler terms that is to put it differently to repeat Example Anthropologist Geoffrey Gorer studied the few peaceful human tribes and discovered one common characteristic: sex roles were not polarized. Differences of dress and occupation were at a minimum. Society in other words, was not using sexual blackmail as a way of getting women to do cheap labor, or men to be aggressive. (Gloria Steinem, "What It Would Be Like If Women Win") 10. Time Transitions afterward at the same time currently earlier formerly immediately in the future in the meantime in the past later meanwhile previously simultaneously subsequently then until now Example At first a toy, then a mode of transportation for the rich, the automobile was designed as man's mechanical servant. Later it became part of the pattern of living. Exercise Instructions

Combine the sentences in each set into two clear and concise sentences, eliminating any needless repetition. As you do so, add a transitional Word or phrase (in italics at the head of each set) to the beginning of the second sentence to show how it relates to the first.
1. Instead

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Retirement should be the reward for a lifetime of work. It is widely viewed as a sort of punishment. It is a punishment for growing old. Therefore In recent years viruses have been shown to cause cancer in chickens. Viruses have also been shown to cause cancer in mice, cats, and even in some primates. Viruses might cause cancer in humans. This is a reasonable hypothesis. In fact We do not seek solitude. If we find ourselves alone for once, we flick a switch. We invite the whole world in. The world comes in through the television screen. On the contrary We were not irresponsible. Each of us should do something. This thing would be of genuine usefulness to the world. We were trained to think that. However Little girls, of course, don't take toy guns out of their hip pockets. They do not say "Pow, pow" to all their neighbors and friends. The average well-adjusted little boy does this. If we gave little girls the six-shooters, we would soon have double the pretend body count. Next We drove the wagon close to a corner post. We twisted the end of the wire around it. We twisted the wire one foot above the ground. We stapled it fast. We drove along the line of posts. We drove for about 200 yards. We unreeled the wire on the ground behind us. Indeed We know very little about pain. What we don't know makes it hurt all the more. There is ignorance about pain. No form of illiteracy in the United States is so widespread. No form of illiteracy in the United States is so costly.
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8. Moreover

Many of our street girls can be as vicious as any corporation president. Many of our street girls can be as money mad as any corporation president. They can be less emotional than men. They can be less emotional in conducting acts of personal violence. 9. For this reason The historical sciences have made us very conscious of our past. They have made us conscious of the world as a machine. The machine generates successive events out of foregoing ones. Some scholars tend to look totally backward. They look backward in their interpretation of the human future. 10. However Rewriting is something that most writers find they have to do. They rewrite to discover what they have to say. They rewrite to discover how to say it. There are a few writers who do little formal rewriting. They have capacity and experience. They create and review a large number of invisible drafts. They create and review in their minds. They do this before they approach the page. In the following short passages, pick out the transitional words and phrases that are used to provide cohesion.
1. Very often I must wait weeks and weeks for what you call "inspiration." In the

2. 3.

4.

5.

6.

meantime I must sit with my quill pen poised in the air over a sheet of foolscap, in case the divine spark should come like a lightning bolt and knock me off my chair on to my head. For nonconformity the world whips you with its displeasure. And therefore a man must know how to estimate a sour face. Well, what I mean by Education is learning the rules of this mighty game. In other words, education is the instruction of the intellect in the laws of Nature, under which name I include not merely things and their forces, but men and their ways . . .. What has been gained for the systematic teaching of composition and literature will not, I trust, be lost. Besides, the older grammatical teaching must give way to something more accurate, more interesting, and more effective. Time had not been kind to the shepherdess, nor to her charges, whose waterlogged wool was stained with the evidence of a long and unforgiving winter. Farther along the road these homes gave way to tents and campers equipped with pop-up roofs and jury-rigged awnings made of plastic and fronted by mosquito netting. Occasionally, out of sheer human pity, we ignore our high and mighty standard and pass them. Usually, however, the standard, and not the candidate, commands our fidelity. Though they live in the very thick of the human race, they are forever isolated
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from it. They are fated to go through life, congenial pariahs. They live out their little lives, mingling with the world, yet never a part of it. They are, in short, Good Souls. 7. McSorley's bar is short, accommodating approximately ten elbows, and is shored up with iron pipes. It is to the right as you enter. To the left is a row of armchairs with their stiff backs against the wainscoting. 8. Aristotle, in his sketch of the magnanimous man, tells us that his voice is deep, his motions slow, and his stature commanding. In like manner, the elocution of a great intellect is great. 9. Who gives quickly, says the old proverb, gives twice. For this reason I have purposely delayed writing to you, lest I should appear to thank you more than once for the small, cheap, hideous present you sent me on the occasion of my recent wedding. 10. It does seem as if rather a richer flavor were given to a book by knowing the circumstance of its composition. Consequently readers, as they grow older, turn more and more to biography. 11. If you own things, what's their effect on you? What's the effect on me of my wood? In the first place, it makes me feel heavy. Property does have this effect. 12. There exists, it appears, a class of persons who, either through ignorance or indifference, or often through both combined, are doing all in their power to corrupt the English tongue. Their efforts are too largely successful. There is accordingly no salvation for the speech unless heroic measures are taken to guard it from the perils threatening its purity. 13. [Margaret Fuller] often passes in one breath from forcible reasoning to dreamy vagueness; moreover, her unusually varied culture gives her great command of illustration. Mary Wollstonecraft, on the other hand, is nothing if not rational; she has no erudition, and her grave pages are lit up by no ray of fancy. 14. There are, indeed, many other jobs that are unpleasant, and yet no one thinks of abolishing them--that of the plumber, that of the soldier, that of the garbage-man, that of the priest hearing confessions, that of the sand-hog, and so on. Moreover, what evidence is there that any actual hangman complains of his work? I have heard none. On the contrary, I have known many who delighted in their ancient art, and practiced it proudly.

Answers
1. Retirement should be the reward for a lifetime of work. Instead, it is widely

viewed as a sort of punishment for growing old. (Carll Tucker) 2. In recent years viruses have been shown to cause cancer not only in chickens but also in mice, cats, and even in some primates. Therefore, it is a reasonable hypothesis that viruses might cause cancer in humans. 3. We do not seek solitude. In fact, if we find ourselves alone for once, we flick a switch and invite the whole world in through the television screen.(Eugene Raskin, "Walls and Barriers") 4. We were not irresponsible. On the contrary, we were trained to think that each of us should do something that would be of genuine usefulness to the world. (Lillian Smith, Killers of the Dream) 5. Little girls, of course, don't take toy guns out of their hip pockets and say "Pow, pow" to all their neighbors and friends like average well-adjusted little boys. However, if we gave little girls the six-shooters, we would soon have double the pretend body count. (Anne Roiphe, "Confessions of a Female Chauvinist Sow") 6. We drove the wagon close to a corner post, twisted the end of the wire around it one foot above the ground, and stapled it fast. Next, we drove along the line of posts for about 200 yards, unreeling the wire on the ground behind us. (John Fischer, "Barbed Wire") 7. We know very little about pain and what we don't know makes it hurt all the more. Indeed, no form of illiteracy in the United States is so widespread or costly as ignorance about pain. (Norman Cousins, "Pain Is Not the Ultimate Enemy") 8. Many of our street girls can be as vicious and money mad as any corporation president. Moreover, they can be less emotional than men in conducting acts of personal violence. (Gail Sheehy, "$70,000 a Year, Tax Free") 9. The historical sciences have made us very conscious of our past, and of the world as a machine generating successive events out of foregoing ones. For this reason, some scholars tend to look totally backward in their interpretation of the human future. (Loren Eiseley, The Unexpected Universe) 10. Rewriting is something that most writers find they have to do to discover what they have to say and how to say it. There are, however, a few writers who do little formal rewriting because they have the capacity and experience to create and review a large number of invisible drafts in their minds before they approach the page. (Donald M. Murray, "The Maker's Eye: Revising Your Own Manuscipts") Answer II 1. In the meantime 2. And therefore 3. In other words 4. Besides 5. Farther along 6. however
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7. in short 8. to the right / To the left 9. In like manner 10. For this reason 11. Consequently 12. In the first place 13. accordingly 14.moreover /on the other hand 15. Moreover / On the contrary

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