Module 2 · Lesson 7 of 11
Coherence and cohesion
Make your essay easy to follow: put ideas in a logical order, join sentences with clear reference words and the right linkers, and stop overusing ‘Moreover’.
In this lesson
- Explain the difference between coherence (a logical route) and cohesion (the joins between sentences)
- Organise an essay so that each paragraph has one job and the ideas progress clearly
- Connect sentences with reference words, summary nouns and substitution, not only linking words
- Choose linking words for their exact meaning and grammar, and avoid overusing them
- Repair a weak paragraph for coherence and cohesion in five steps
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Inside this lesson
- Two words, two different jobs
- Coherence: give the reader a clear route
- Paragraphing: one paragraph, one job
- Cohesion tool 1: reference words that point clearly
- Cohesion tool 2: substitution and smart repetition
- Cohesion tool 3: linking words, chosen for their meaning
- Why too many linkers can lower your score
- Worked example: repair a paragraph in five steps
- See it across a whole essay
- Your turn
- In the exam: a two-minute cohesion check