Cohesion, Coherence and Clarity

Cohesion
• Cohesion is the harmonic link between two
parts, used in grammar as a way to obtain clear
and understandable text.
• In linguistic studies, textual cohesion consists
in the correct use of grammatical and
connective articulations, which allow the
harmonious connection between the sentences,
sentences, terms, periods and paragraphs of a
text.
 Examples of cohesion:
• 1. Perifrase or anthonomasia – an
expression that characterizes the place, the
thing or the person to which reference is.

• Example: Vilanculos is one of the most

important cities in Mozambique. The
wonderful city is known worldwide for its
natural beauties beaches and hospitality.
 Cont.…
• 2. Nominalizations – use of a noun that
refers to a verb previously enunciated. The
opposite can also occur: a verb resumes an
already enunciated noun.

• Example: The girl went to plead guilty to the

crime. That statement, however, was not
accepted by the judge responsible for the case.
 Cont.…
• 3. Words or expressions synonymous or
almost synonymous – even if the absence of
perfect synonyms is considered, some
substitutions favor the non-repetition of words.
• Example: Cars put on sale during the
exhibition were not very successful. This may
have been because the cars were not in a
prominent place at the event
 Cont…
• 4. Repetition vocabulary – although not
ideal, sometimes there is a need to repeat a
word, especially if it represents the central
theme to be addressed.
• Example: Hunger is a social evil that has
been worsening in the modern world. There
are several factors causing this problem, so
hunger has been a constant concern of world
rulers.
 Cont…
5. A term synthesis – one uses, eventually, a term that
makes a kind of summary of several other preceding terms,
as resumption.
• Example - The country is full of bureaucratic obstacles.
You need to fill out a huge amount of forms, which must
receive signatures and stamps. After all this, there is still a
lack of the issuance of the slips for the bank payment. All
these limitations end up harming trade relations with Brazil.
 Coherence

• Onursal, I. (2003). Coherence is the

characteristic of what has logic and cohesion,
when a set of ideas presents a call and
uniformity. For something to be consistent, this
object needs to present a sequence that gives a
general and logical meaning to the receiver, so
that there are no contradictions or doubts about
the subject.
Methods that can be used to achieve
coherence in writing
1. Use Repetition to Link Ideas, Sentences, and Paragraphs
• Repeating key words or phrases helps connect and focus
idea(s) throughout the essay. Repetition also helps the reader
remain focused and headed in the right direction.
• Example: Most students are intimidated by the works of
Mia Couto. They believe Couto’s sonnets and plays are far to
complicated to read and understand.
2. Use Transitional Expressions to Link Ideas,
Sentences, and Paragraphs
• Transitional expressions, such as however,
because, therefore, and in addition, are used to
establish relationships between ideas, sentences,
and paragraphs. They serve as signals to let the
reader know the previous idea, sentence, or
paragraph is connected to what follows.
 Cont…
• Example: Many students believe they cannot write a
good essay because they are not writers. However, as
they practice writing and work on developing their
writing skills, most students are able to gain the needed
confidence to start thinking of themselves writers.
 Use Pronouns to Link Sentences

• Pronouns are used to link or connect sentences by

referring to preceding nouns and pronouns. Pronouns can
also help create paragraphs that are easy to read by
eliminating wordiness and unnecessary repetition.
• Example: Mr. Macamo agreed to meet with members
of the worker’s union before he signed the contract. He
was interested in hearing their concerns about the new
insurance plan.
4. Use Synonyms to Link Ideas and
Create Variety
• Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning
as another word. They provide alternative word choices that can add
variety to an essay and can help eliminate unnecessary repetition.

• Example: Teenagers face an enormous amount of peer pressure

from friends and schoolmates. As a result, many young adults are
exhibiting signs of severe stress or depression at an early age.
 Use Parallel Structures to Link Ideas,
Sentences, and Paragraphs

• Parallelism is the use of matching words, phrases, clauses, or

sentence structures to express similar ideas. Parallel structures
allow the reader to flow smoothly from one idea, sentence, or
paragraph to the next and to understand the relationships and
connections between ideas.
• Example: Usually, the children spend the summer weekends
playing ball in park, swimming in the neighbor’s pool, eating ice
cream under the tree, or camping in the backyard.
Difference between Cohesion and
Coherence

• Cohesion and coherence are different things, so a

cohesive text can be incoherent. Both have in common the
fact that they are related to the essential rules for a good
textual production.

• Textual cohesion focuses on internal articulation, i.e.,

grammatical issues. Textual coherence deals with the
external and deeper articulation of the message.
 Clarity

• The meaning of communication is the result

that is obtained. Without effective
communication there is no success in personal,
professional, loving and social life. And
communication success is only possible when
the message is sent and received clearly.
 Cohesion, Coherence and Clarity

• Bae, J. (2001) One of the main factors that make

communication difficult in the organizational
environment is the lack of clarity when sharing
information. Although speaking is an activity
learned in the first years of life, not everyone speaks
well. Not always the thought that is clear in the
mind receives the same clarity through words.
 Cont…
• A professional who speaks in a confused way
usually does not realize that others have difficulty
understanding it. You run the risk of only
beginning to realize when your ideas and projects
take time to be accepted, or when your colleagues
grow up to occupy positions that could also be
yours.