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How to Use Cohesive Devices Correctly [for IELTS Writing]

Posted by David S. Wills | Dec 7, 2020 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 0

If you look at IELTS websites and YouTube videos, you might learn that cohesive devices are very important and that you should use as many of them as possible. However, this is incorrect. You should use them when necessary, but you should not overuse them.

Cohesive devices certainly are important for IELTS writing but you should aim to use them sparingly and accurately. This article will tell you everything you need to know about them.

What are Cohesive Devices?

A cohesive device is a word that helps join parts of your essay together. They are also known as linkers, linking devices, transitions, transitional phrases, or signposting language. However, as the IELTS marking rubric refers to them as “cohesive devices,” then I shall also use that term today.

There are different types of cohesive devices because technically any word that joins ideas or clauses is cohesive by nature. However, in most cases we mean conjunctive adverbs. These are words that link two independent clauses in a compound sentence or else introduce an independent clause at the start of a new sentence.

Conjunctive adverbs include:

• Consequently
• For example
• As a result
• In conclusion
• On the one hand

How to Use Cohesive Devices

As I mentioned above, there are different types of cohesive devices. For this reason, you should use them according to the grammatical rules required. For example, a conjunctive adverb would be used differently from a subordinating conjunction, and these would each be different from a coordinating conjunction.

You can see the difference between those three types of cohesive device here:

Today, we will mostly focus on conjunctive adverbs. These begin an independent clause and that will come after a full stop or a semi-colon. For example:

• She’d had a bad morning; however, she stayed positive and hoped the afternoon would be better.
• She’d had a bad morning. However, she stayed positive and hoped the afternoon would be better.

The meaning is basically the same. We use a semi-colon when the connection between the two clauses is close and obvious. Sometimes they are interchangeable.

For IELTS essays, conjunctive adverbs most commonly are used as signposting language to guide the reader logically from one point to the next. It is very common to see these cohesive devices in task 2 essays:

• To begin with
• On the other hand
• In other words

You always need to keep in mind that these must be both logical and grammatical . That is really important if you want a good score for Coherence and Cohesion.

Problems with Cohesive Devices in IELTS Essays

Let’s now look at some problems people face with cohesive devices in IELTS essays.

Overusing Cohesive Devices

There are various problems that IELTS candidates face when using cohesive devices. The most common problem is overusing them. This is due to a misunderstanding of how English works and the fact that most IELTS tutors say, “Use as many cohesive devices as possible!”

In fact, you should use device devices sometimes in order to logically link parts of your writing, but you should definitely avoid using them too much or your work will sound mechanical and dull. Look at an essay by a native speaker of English. How many cohesive devices do they use? Not many.

The IELTS marking rubric specifically states that you will not score more than band 7 for Coherence and Cohesion if you overuse cohesive devices:

uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use British Council

You can see how strange it sounds to overuse them in this example:

I have a full lesson on the overuse of cohesive devices here .

Picking the Wrong Cohesive Device

Another problem is that people often pick the wrong cohesive device. This is a bit less common than overusing them, but I still see it pretty frequently when marking essays for my IELTS writing correction service .

Here is an example:

Many people believe that governments should increase taxes on electrical devices in order to fund disposal programmes to ensure that they are recycled. For example, many devices are just thrown away with other trash, contributing to the destruction of the environment.

The problem here is that the cohesive device “for example” is not really appropriate. The second sentence is not actually an example of the first. It is related to the first but it further explains the ideas of the first sentence rather than providing any sort of example. To fix this, we might say:

Many people believe that governments should increase taxes on electrical devices in order to fund disposal programmes to ensure that they are recycled. For example, a small tax levied on all electrical goods could be used to establish drop-off points in easily accessible locations, where electrical goods are collected and sent to specialist sites to be re-used or broken into component parts that can be safely disposed.

Now, the second sentence gives a full example of the idea expressed in the first sentence.

Another commonly misused cohesive device is “meanwhile.” People seem to confuse this with “however” or “therefore.” It really means “at the same time as.” You can see that here:

To solve the trash crisis, we need to take various approaches. Perhaps the most important one is educating people of the damage that they are doing to our planet. Meanwhile, we also need to punish people who drop litter or dump chemicals because we cannot just wait for education to have an impact. That could take years.

In this case, “meanwhile” shows that punishment needs to happen at the same time as education .

Altering the Form of Cohesive Devices

One really common problem is people changing cohesive devices. Perhaps they just misremember them, but sometimes people try to be creative. Unfortunately, these parts of speech should be changed or else they become incorrect.

As you can see from the above picture, it is quite common for people to make an error with “On the one hand… On the other hand…” When you change either of these, the result is an incorrect phrase. There is no way to change them correctly, so don’t bother.

I also see people trying to be creative with other cohesive devices, like “in conclusion” or “for example.” They say things like “to be conclusion” or “for examples.” However, both of these are totally incorrect. Another strange one that I have seen is “first and most of all.”

Informal or Outdated Devices

It is also common to see people misusing cohesive devices by picking really informal ones or really old and unusual ones.

One of the most common mistakes is saying “to recapitulate.” This is a term that almost no native speaker would use nowadays. You can see here on Google that it is no longer a commonly used term:

Unfortunately, many IELTS candidates use this because lots of uninformed teachers tell them that it is a special word to dazzle the examiner.

Similarly, people use phrases like “last but not least.” This is a way of introducing people in spoken English. We might use it to introduce a speaker who has come last in a list of people. It is a comical and friendly way of saying “He’s last but that is just a random order.” It is totally inappropriate for an IELTS essay because it is so informal .

Confusing Types of Cohesive Devices

Another quite common problem is mixing up the different types of cohesive device. I stated earlier that we would focus on conjunctive adverbs in this lesson, but cohesive devices can technically include subordinative conjunctions or coordinating conjunctions. These are different parts of speech with different grammatical rules to govern them.

We use conjunctive adverbs after a period or semi-colon and follow them with a comma, but subordinating conjunctions do not have a comma after them. Conjunctive adverbs link two independent clauses but subordinating ones begin a dependent clause:

• INCORRECT: Although, the Earth is warming at an alarming temperature, some people refuse to admit that climate change is real.
• CORRECT: Although the Earth is warming at an alarming temperature, some people refuse to admit that climate change is real.
• CORRECT: Some people refuse to admit that climate change is real although the Earth is warming at an alarming temperature.
• ALSO CORRECT: Some people refuse to admit that climate change is real; however, the Earth is warming at an alarming temperature.

I have a full lesson on the difference between conjunctive adverbs and subordinating conjunctions here .

Most Common Cohesive Devices

It is honestly better to stick with standard language. The people who regularly are disappointed by their IELTS results are the ones who try to use fancy language as a means of taking a shortcut. Instead, stick with the most frequently used cohesive devices and make sure that you use them correctly:

• Additionally

These words and phrases are really useful and can help you to link your ideas logically. Don’t worry about them being “basic” or “boring.” They are important words and as long as you don’t overuse them in your essay then there is no problem.

Cohesive Device Examples

Finally, let’s look at a list of cohesive devices, divided by type. This is not an exhaustive list, of course. It is just a small sample of the vast array of cohesive devices that exist. However, maybe you will find it useful.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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Achieving coherence

“A piece of writing is coherent when it elicits the response: ‘I follow you. I see what you mean.’ It is incoherent when it elicits the response: ‘I see what you're saying here, but what has it got to do with the topic at hand or with what you just told me above?’ ” - Johns, A.M

Transitions

Parallelism, challenge task, what is coherence.

Coherence in a piece of writing means that the reader can easily understand it. Coherence is about making everything flow smoothly. The reader can see that everything is logically arranged and connected, and relevance to the central focus of the essay is maintained throughout.

Repetition in a piece of writing does not always demonstrate cohesion.   Study these sentences:

So, how does repetition as a cohesive device work?

When a pronoun is used, sometimes what the pronoun refers to (ie, the referent) is not always clear. Clarity is achieved by  repeating a key noun or synonym . Repetition is a cohesive device used deliberately to improve coherence in a text.

In the following text, decide ifthe referent for the pronoun  it   is clear. Otherwise, replace it  with the key noun English  where clarity is needed.

Click here to view the revised text.

Suggested improvement

English has almost become an international language. Except for Chinese, more people speak it (clear reference; retain)  than any other language. Spanish is the official language of more countries in the world, but more countries have English ( it is replaced with a key noun) as their official or unofficial second language. More than 70% of the world's mail is written in English ( it is replaced with a key noun).  It (clear reference; retain) is the primary language on the Internet.

Sometimes, repetition of a key noun is preferred even when the reference is clear. In the following text, it is clear that it  refers to the key noun gold , but when used throughout the text, the style becomes monotonous.

Improved text: Note where the key noun gold is repeated. The deliberate repetition creates interest and adds maturity to the writing style.

Gold , a precious metal, is prized for two important characteristics. First of all, gold has a lustrous beauty that is resistant to corrosion. Therefore, it is suitable for jewellery, coins and ornamental purposes. Gold never needs to be polished and will remain beautiful forever. For example, a Macedonian coin remains as untarnished today as the day it was made 23 centuries ago. Another important characteristic of gold is its usefulness to industry and science. For many years, it has been used in hundreds of industrial applications. The most recent use of gold is in astronauts’ suits. Astronauts wear gold -plated shields when they go outside spaceships in space. In conclusion, gold is treasured not only for its beauty but also its utility.

Pronoun + Repetition of key noun

Sometimes, greater cohesion can be achieved by using a pronoun followed by an appropriate key noun or synonym (a word with a similar meaning).

Transitions are like traffic signals. They guide the reader from one idea to the next. They signal a range of relationships between sentences, such as comparison, contrast, example and result. Click here for a more comprehensive list of Transitions (Logical Organisers) .

Test yourself: How well do you understand transitions?

Which of the three alternatives should follow the transition or logical organiser in capital letters to complete the second sentence?

Using transitions/logical organisers

Improve the coherence of the following paragraph by adding transitions in the blank spaces. Use the italicised hint in brackets to help you choose an apporpriate transition for each blank. If you need to, review the list of Transitions (Logical Organisers)   before you start.

Using transitions

Choose the most appropriate transition from the options given to complete the article:

Overusing transitions

While the use of appropriate transitions can improve coherence (as the previous practice activity shows), it can also be counterproductive if transitions are overused. Use transitions carefully to enhance and clarify the logical connection between ideas in extended texts. Write a range of sentences and vary sentence openings. 

Study the following examples:

Identifying cohesive devices

Recognising parallel structures

Read through the text and underline the examples of parallel structures (there are five of them). If you can, write the type of grammatical form used in each case. The first one has been done for you as an example.

Write out the entire paragraph in the submission box if it is easier.

Now you try :

Not only have geneticists found beneficial uses of genetically engineered organisms in agriculture, but they have also found ( 1. paired conjunctions ) useful ways to use these organisms advantageously in the larger environment. According to the Monsanto company, a leader in genetic engineering research, recombinant DNA techniques may provide scientists with new ways to clean up the environment and with more efficient methods of producing chemicals. By using genetically engineered organisms, scientists have been able to produce natural gas. This process will decrease society's dependence on the environment and will reduce the rate at which natural resources are depleted. In other processes, genetically engineered bacteria are being used both to extract metals from their geological setting and to speed the breakup of complex petroleum mixtures which will help to clean up oil spills. (p. 523).

Source: Rosen, L.J. (1995). Discovery and commitment: A guide for college writers. Mass.: Allyn and Bacon.

Click here to view the answer to the question above

I am Jose Manuel, English professor and creator of EnglishPost.org, a blog whose mission is to share lessons for those who want to learn and improve their English

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Cohesive Devices in IELTS Writing – Types, Tips, and Examples

Updated On Feb 23, 2024

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Cohesive devices, also known as linking words or connecting words, are an important part of academic writing. Using them properly helps organize your ideas and create logical connections between sentences and paragraphs. This improves the flow and coherence of your writing, which is necessary to get a high score on the IELTS Writing test. In this blog, we will look at the meaning and types of cohesive devices, examples of how to use them, and tips to employ them effectively in your IELTS essay writing.

What Are Cohesive Devices?

Cohesive devices, also known as ‘ Linking Words ’ are words or phrases that link different parts of a text together and allow it to flow logically. They help show the connection between ideas acting as a  connector  by signaling additions, contrasts, cause and effect, and other relationships. For example, words and phrases like ‘however’, ‘therefore’, ‘in addition’, ‘for example’, ‘to conclude’ etc. are cohesive devices. Using them properly makes your writing more coherent and easier to follow.

Types of Cohesive Devices

There are several types of cohesive devices:

• Reference words: Pronouns like ‘it’, ‘this’, ‘that’, and ‘which’ refer back to something already mentioned.
• Substitution words:  Words like ‘do’, and ‘one’ that replace a noun.
• Conjunctions:  Words like ‘and’, ‘but’, and ‘so’ that join clauses.
• Repetition:  Repeating keywords and ideas across sentences and paragraphs.
• Synonyms:  Using different words with the same meaning.
• Antonyms:  Contrasting words and ideas using opposites.
• Collocation:  Using words that commonly go together.
• Discourse markers: Phrases like ‘in conclusion’, and ‘on the other hand’ that organize text.

Examples of Cohesive Devices

Here are some examples of how different types of cohesive devices can be used:

• Referencing:  Smoking has many health risks. This habit should be avoided.
• Substitution:  Doctors advise patients to exercise daily. Doing so improves health.
• Conjunction:  Smoking causes cancer, and it also increases the risk of lung disease.
• Repetition:  Daily exercise helps us stay fit. Exercise also reduces stress levels.
• Synonyms:  Doctors advocate physical activity. Exercise has many benefits.
• Antonyms:  Some people love jogging daily. Others dislike running intensively.
• Collocation:  She played a starring role in the movie. Her performance was praised.
• Discourse Markers:  However, smoking remains common despite its risks. Therefore, more education is needed.

Tips for Using Cohesive Devices

Here are some tips to use cohesive devices effectively:

• Don’t overuse them. Using too many can make writing seem unnatural.
• Be consistent. Don’t jump between different devices randomly.
• Use a variety. Relying only on basic conjunctions like ‘and’, ‘but’, and ‘so’ is repetitive.
• Choose devices appropriately. Use contrasting words for opposing ideas, and linking words for related ideas.
• Pay attention to order and placement. Put them at the right spot in a sentence or paragraph.
• Vary length. Alternate between single-word devices and longer phrases.
• Check for grammar. Make sure the device fits correctly in the sentence structure.

Why Coherence and Cohesion Matter in IELTS Writing?

Using cohesive devices properly is key to getting a high band score for ‘Coherence and Cohesion’ which carries 25% weight in the IELTS Writing test criteria. The  band descriptors  state that a high-scoring essay should use ‘a range of cohesive devices appropriately’ while a low-scoring one has ‘little or no cohesion’. So mastering cohesive devices can significantly impact your writing score.

Learn more about  IELTS Writing  band descriptors and criteria  here .

Example Essay Using Cohesive Devices

This sample IELTS essay shows how cohesive devices can be used to logically link ideas and improve coherence:

Some people think sports help society, while others argue they are a waste of time.  In my opinion , sports offer benefits like health, socializing, and stress relief but  they can also  lead to injuries and obsession in some cases.

On the one hand , participating in sports provides exercise which improves fitness.  Moreover , sports like football, cricket, and hockey build teamwork as they require cooperation.  Another benefit   is that  sports offer a way to unwind and manage anxiety.  However, on the other hand , sports carry risks like career-ending injuries.  Furthermore , becoming consumed by sports fandom negatively affects work and studies.  Although  sports have advantages,  in certain situations  they can be detrimental.

In conclusion , sports are beneficial for society if practiced moderately but harmful if taken to extremes.  Therefore , a balanced approach is necessary to utilize their advantages and avoid downsides. The key is moderation.

This essay uses cohesion and coherence in paragraph writing with examples. A variety of cohesive devices like referencing words (this, they), conjunctions (but, moreover), discourse markers (In conclusion), repetition (sports), synonyms (fandom/obsession), antonyms (advantages/detrimental), and collocations (career-ending injuries) are used to organize the ideas logically and make the writing more coherent.

Check out:  IELTS Writing Task 2: Coherence & Cohesion (Tricks for BAND 8)

Learning to use cohesive devices properly is an important skill that can improve your IELTS Writing score by making your essay flow better. Start by learning the main types of devices and examples of how to use them. Pay attention to using an appropriate variety and following the tips above. Refer to sample essays to see how devices are used in context. With practice, using cohesive devices will become second nature and boost your writing coherence.

For more help with the IELTS Writing test, check out our  Writing Task 1  and  Writing Task 2  tips and sample answers. Also, solve these  practice tests .

Take a look at our IELTS Grammar Workbook

Also, Check:

• Top 10 IELTS Grammar Books
• Ultimate Guide to Synonyms for IELTS Writing
• Adverbs for IELTS
• Advanced Grammar for IELTS with Comparison
• Emphatic structures exercises and inversion 
• Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Modal Verbs (1)

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A Guide to Cohesive Devices

Six tools to create cohesion & coherence.

Reference, substitution, cohesive nouns, ellipsis, lexical chains, conjunction . . .

Obscure names for processes common in everyday speech and indispensable for good writing.

Simply explained, with examples .

When we write an essay, there are several points we want to make and an overall idea we hope to get across to the reader. We use grammatical and lexical tools to make all the points come together and form one understandable whole. We want the whole to fit logically together to make our point.

If we succeed and the reader understands our meaning because what we wrote sticks together well, our essay has coherence .

The parts of a text don’t go in just any order; there are certain ways sentences and paragraphs connect with each other to fit properly. The tools, or devices, we use to link all these parts into a meaningful whole create cohesion – they work like glue sticking together pieces of a picture. There are six main types of cohesive devices.

1. Reference

Despite obscure names like anaphor and cataphor , reference means just what it sounds like, referring to something mentioned elsewhere in a text. We do this all the time when we speak. “The dentist has an opening tomorrow at 2:00. He will see you then.” Who is “ he ”? What is “ then ”? If someone told you only the second sentence, it wouldn’t make much sense (and, if your tooth hurt a lot, you might get a bit angry), but together with the first sentence, the meaning of the second is quite clear. Just like your mother is clear when she says, “ The wastebasket is full. Please empty it .” If you ask her, “ Wait, what do you mean, ‘it’? ” she won’t think you are being funny, and she won’t believe that you don’t understand. We use pronouns and other special words to refer back to things – people, places, times, etc. – with such frequency that these patterns are quite familiar, even unnoticed. Look for this linkage of words to earlier mentions of things when you read, and you will start to understand how cohesion works.

Reference is used to create cohesion in several different ways. If your father walks out and sees you standing by the car, which is wrecked, and says “ Did you do that ?” he’s making a reference to something outside the text (here, a situation) that is obvious to both of you, the speakers. 1 He didn’t have to say first, “ Oh, look, the car’s been wrecked. ” You probably won’t want to tell him so, but he’s just provided an example of exophora . On the other hand, if you make a statement to the police about the wrecked car, and you say that you came downstairs in the morning, saw that the car was wrecked, but didn’t see anyone around, and the policeman asks, “ So, what time did you come down and notice this ? ” he’s using endophora , because “ this ” refers to the fact that the car has been wrecked, something you explicitly said, and it’s an anaphoric , because the reference is to something earlier, although, again, you probably won’t want to point out these interesting grammatical facts to the policeman just then. The diagram that follows shows how these ideas fit together.

Definite pronouns and determiners are usually what we use to refer back to people, objects, and situations that we’ve mentioned earlier in a text, e.g., she, they, it, those, that .

No one seemed to want the last piece of cake.   It sat on the plate for days getting stale. Finally, late last night, when John came home tired and hungry, he ate it , only to have Susan scream at him this morning for having finished it .

Anaphoric reference is really a form of substitution, replacing one word or phrase with another, usually shorter, way of saying the same thing. To find these anaphoric references in a text, look especially for pronouns, demonstratives, and adverbials like the following: 1

personal pronouns (subjective or objective forms): I, you, we, he, she, it, they, one, him, her

possessive personal pronouns : mine, yours, ours, hers, its, theirs (or their determinative forms: my, your, our, her, its, their, one’s, often paired with a noun that refers back to something mentioned previously)

demonstratives & other determiners : this, these, that, those, some, any, both, enough, neither, none, half, etc. (often functioning as pronouns in anaphoric constructions)

place and time adverbials : here, there, then

comparatives : another, more, fewer, same, different. equally, likewise, similarly

2. Substitution

Whereas reference is often described as a link of meaning between words (because we understand the reference only in relation to its antecedent), substitution is described as a grammatical link that allows us to replace a noun or noun phrase, a verb or verb phrase, or an entire clause, when we say something about the same item or topic elsewhere in the text. 2 Why substitute one phrase for another? This may be for reasons of style, for instance, to avoid repetition, or we may want to clarify or define our meaning more precisely. Substitutes are often a more general word in the former case, and a more specific, or technical, phrase in the latter. Almost any word or phrase might function as a substitute, but there are some common patterns that can help us find substitutions. Words like one , some , or any often work as more general substitutes, while technical terms may fit in to replace a description of what they mean:

I don’t have change for the meter . Do you have any ?      (more general)

Clarence arrived just as I was making coffee , so I asked him if he ‘d like some .      (more general)

After the initial votes for student council have been counted, the three students with the most votes make speeches. Each candidate speaks for ten minutes, then the final votes are cast .    (more specific/technical)

Other patterns include using adverbials like so and thus to replace larger units – objects, complements, or whole clauses – and using a form of the verb “to do” to replace a longer verbal phrase or clause.

It was terribly cold outside, so the others went inside . Eventually, I did too.

3. Cohesive Nouns

Cohesive nouns are nouns that summarize what came before or what is to follow. For example, if I come home and find water all over the floor, a steady flow coming out from under the sink, and it takes me hour to find a night plumber who will come, plus a few more hours to have the pipe fixed and clean up the mess so I only get to sleep at 3:00 a.m., and, not surprisingly, I oversleep and arrive late to class the next morning, I might apologize by explaining what happened in a much shorter way. I might just say that I had a “problem” which made me late. “Problem” in this case refers back to the whole long, unhappy story described above. Often, the very use of such a word characterizes what will follow, making it easier for a reader or listener to predict what’s next. So, if you come into class a few minutes late and say, “ So, there was a problem . . . .,” I already know that what follows will probably be a sad story about unfortunate circumstances which made it impossible for you to do your homework or arrive on time.

4. Ellipsis

So, if “problem” is a short way to talk about the whole situation, ellipsis is even shorter. Ellipsis is when you leave out words that are understood. Wait, you may say, how can leaving words out make things more clear? But we do this all the time. “ He can’t swim but I can. ” What can I do? I can swim – that is quite clear and, in fact, it would sound rather awkward to say “ He can’t swim but I can swim .” This sounds like a child’s speech – children only learn ellipsis as they become more linguistically mature. The omission can cover a great deal more just a word or phrase; whole sections of sentences, often the predicates or verbal parts, may be left out because they are clear between speakers or writer and reader. Sometimes this absence is even a form of emphasis. Look for this when you read, and you will understand more of the writer’s meaning and tone.

5. Lexis (Lexical Chains)

Sometimes words come bound up like a pile of presents one atop the other; once we open one, we have a very good idea what the others will be. For example, if, at your wedding, you receive twenty matching boxes of various sizes and the first one is a plate, you can guess the others are likely to be matching bowls, saucers, and perhaps a serving platter or two. In the same way, once I say “wedding” you know from experience that certain other words are likely to follow, like “bride”, “groom”, “reception”, “flowers”, “dress”, “honeymoon”, “cake”, etc. These words are linked into a chain of meaning so that one helps you understand the others; they are a lexical set .

Pairs or groups of words have a more specific linkage of meaning, such as a part-to-whole relationship, called meronymy , (e.g., branch , leaf , and bark are all parts of a tree ), or a category/subcategory relationship, where the category is called the superordinate and the subtype a hyponym , (e.g., the general word tree covers many specific types like pine , oak , and birch ). You likely know some other examples, such as words that mean the same thing being called synonyms, (e.g., health / wellness ), and those that mean the opposite, antonyms , ( health/sickness ). We use these lexical relationships in speech because they make what we say much easier for others to understand. In writing, words like these tell us how parts of a text are linked.

Lexical linkages are often essential to an essay’s structure. For example, if an author talks about “costs”, we expect negatives to follow in the text. If the author then talks about “benefits” we’ll expect positives to come next. Our expectations shape our perceptions different ways: they make the whole text easier to understand and they also subtly influence our evaluations. For example, a ‘cost/benefit’ contrast can make items seem to fit into one box or the other, and we may adopt the author’s categorizations. Lexical relationships can be powerful tools when wielded by a skilled writer. Not only can an author use lexical connections to shape our judgments, she can guide the way we reason. A structure like the ‘cost/benefit’ contrast described above encourages us to quantify and add up items on one side as against the other.

As a writer, using lexical relationships to link sentences, paragraphs, and the whole text together will help you make your points clear and your arguments persuasive. As a reader, spotting these lexical connections will reveal methods of persuasion and authorial biases.

6. Conjunction

This is what links those positives and negatives described above into a contrasting relationship. Let’s say I list several items as “ costs “, but then start my next sentence with “ however “; you already know that I am going to change direction and tell you why all those costs don’t add up to a total negative. This is one of the first methods of cohesion we’re taught explicitly when we learn to write. We’re told to use phrases like “ because ”, “ moreover ”, “ firstly ”, “ secondly ”, “ therefore ”, “ in addition ”, and similar expressions to link our clauses, sentences, or paragraphs together in an organized way that makes their relationship to each other clear to our readers. This is sometimes referred to as signposting because these linkages show where the text is going. Used in this sense, “conjunction” refers generally to the structural relationships among parts of the text rather than specifically to the words called “conjunctions” in a grammar book (i.e., and, but, or , etc.).

When we talk about conjunction as a cohesive device, we mean ways to relate two clauses, sentences, or paragraphs together into a functional relationship. The relationship can be additive, adversative, causal, or temporal. For example, one clause may be the reason for the other:

He finished the pizza because he was hungry .

This could have been two separate sentences, but since they have a cause-effect relationship, we can link them together with “ because ” (an actual conjunction) to make this relationship more clear. Likewise, if an author gives several reasons why watching TV can be bad, and organizes them into a kind of list by starting paragraphs with “ First of all ” then “ Secondly ” (adverbs), then “ The third negative feature ” (a noun phrase), all three of these paragraph starters are examples of conjunction as a cohesive device. They work by linking pieces of text together so that while you are reading, you can follow along and see the relationship of one part to the next. In this example, the paragraph starters show us that the facts within each paragraph are to be added to a list supporting one main point, as the author builds a case against TV watching by adding up all the bad things it can do.

In a well organized essay, the author usually tells us about the list (or other structure) at the outset. For example, these paragraph starters might refer back to the phrase “ several serious drawbacks ” in the first paragraph, where the author promised to describe the pros and cons of TV watching. Whether we are persuaded often depends upon the extent to which the author kept these initial promises by the end of the essay.

1 For the moment, we will leave aside the concept of deixis, or references to the speaker’s personal, situational, or temporal locus, to which parts of discourse may refer. Deixis and anaphora sometimes overlap, but for purposes of understanding cohesive devices, at the moment we can simplify matters by focusing only on the latter. See note 2 for more on this.

2 Halliday and Hasan (1976) described the contrast between reference and substitution as semantic versus grammatical relations between the linked sections of text, and Halliday and Matthiessen (2014) offer the idea of a semantic versus a “lexicogrammatical” relation, (635). Importantly, however, Halliday and Hasan noted the overlap of these categories:

The classification of cohesive relations into different types should not be seen as implying a rigid division into watertight compartments. There are many instances of cohesive forms that lie on the borderline between two types and could be interpreted as one or the other . (Halliday and Hasan, 1976, 88)

For our purposes, the six categories above are a good starting point to understand cohesion in texts, but many important overlaps and subtleties are not covered in this short guide, and entire discussions are omitted, for example, the relationship of deixis to anaphora as mentioned in note 1, above. For more on this latter topic, see Stirling and Huddleston’s (2016) extensive treatment of the subject.

Halliday, M.A.K., & Hasan, R. (1976). Cohesion in English (R. Quirk, Ed.). Longman Group Limited.

Halliday, M.A.K., & Matthieson, M.I.M. (2014). Halliday’s Introduction to Functional Grammar (4th ed.). Routledge.

Schmolz, H. (2015). Anaphora Resolution and Text Retrieval: A Linguistic Analysis of Hypertexts . Walter de Gruyter GmbH.

Stirling, L. & Huddleston, R. (2016). Deixis and Anaphora. In R. Huddleston and G. Pullum (Eds.), The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language (1449-1564). Cambridge University Press.

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Cohesion, literally “sticking together,” is essential to good, clear expository writing. It helps a reader follow your argument and see the relationships you want them to understand. Cohesion makes writing flow by creating and reinforcing connections on the sentence level and the paragraph level. Cohesion in writing is achieved in a variety of ways, mainly by using words, phrases, and ideas that act as connectors or point back to earlier words/phrases/ideas. The most basic cohesive devices are reference words , transitions , and repetition .

REFERENCE WORDS : point to a specific thing or to a location in space or time.

• definite and indefinite articles : the, a, an 
• personal pronouns : we, us, you, he, she, it, him, her, his, they, them
• demonstrative pronouns : this, that, these, those, none, neither
• place and time markers : now, later, here, there, yesterday

TRANSITIONS : connect sentences, showing relationships between ideas or clarifying the progression of an argument. Transitional devices include comparison, contrast, emphasis, example/illustration, summary, and time sequence.

• adverbs : however, moreover, additionally, therefore, furthermore
• phrases : as a result, on the other hand, from my point of view
• clauses : since I was a child, when disaster strikes, if all this is true
• logical markers : first, second, next, finally
• modifying phrases : having given this some thought, taking everything into consideration

REPETITION : emphasizes and maintains prominence of key words, phrases, or ideas. Effective use of repetition incorporates:

• variations of the word : work, worker, working
• nouns/pronouns : position/it, students/they
• synonyms : inform, explain, clarify

In the passage below, the cohesive devices have been underlined and defined. Notice how much repetition and reference there is in even a relatively short piece of writing.

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How to write a cohesive essay

When it comes to writing, people usually emphasise the importance of good grammar and proper spelling. However, there is a third element that actually helps authors get their thoughts across to readers, that is cohesiveness in writing. 

In writing, cohesiveness is the quality that makes it easier for people to read and understand an essay’s content. A cohesive essay has all its parts (beginning, middle, and end) united, supporting each other to inform or convince the reader. 

Unfortunately, this is an element that even intermediate or advanced writers stumble on. While the writer’s thoughts are in their compositions, all too often readers find it difficult to understand what is being said because of the poor organisation of ideas. This article provides tips on how you can make your essay cohesive. 

1. Identify the thesis statement of your essay

A thesis statement states what your position is regarding the topic you are discussing. To make an essay worth reading, you will need to make sure that you have a compelling stance.

However, identifying the thesis statement is only the first step. Each element that you put in your essay should be included in a way that supports your argument, which should be the focus of your writing. If you feel that some of the thoughts you initially included do not contribute to strengthening your position, it might be better to take them out when you revise your essay to have a more powerful piece. 

2. Create an outline 

One of the common mistakes made by writers is that they tend to add a lot of details to their essay which, while interesting, may not really be relevant to the topic at hand. Another problem is jumping from one thought to another, which can confuse a reader if they are not familiar with the subject.

Preparing an outline can help you avoid these difficulties. List the ideas you have in mind for your essay, and then see if you can arrange these thoughts in a way that would make it easy for your readers to understand what you are saying. 

While discursive essays do not usually contain stories, the same principle still applies. Your writing should have an introduction, a discussion portion and a conclusion. Again, make sure that each segment supports and strengthens your thesis statement.

As a side note, a good way to write the conclusion of your essay is to mention the points that you raised in your introduction. At the same time, you should use this section to summarise main ideas and restate your position to drive the message home to your readers. 

3. Make sure everything is connected

In connection to the previous point, make sure that each section of your essay is linked to the one after it. Think of your essay as a story: it should have a beginning, middle, and end, and the way that you write your piece should logically tie these elements together in a linear manner. 

4. Proofread before submitting your essay

Make sure to review your composition prior to submission. In most cases, the first draft may be a bit disorganised because this is the first time that your thoughts have been laid out on paper. By reviewing what you have written, you will be able to see which parts need editing, and which ones can be rearranged to make your essay more easily understood by your readers. Try to look at what you wrote from the point of view of your audience. Will they be able to understand your train of thought, or do you need to reorganise some parts to make it easier for them to appreciate what you are saying? Taking another look at your essay and editing it can do wonders for how your composition flows.

Writing a cohesive essay could be a lot easier than you think – especially when you follow these steps. Don’t forget that reading complements writing: try reading essays on various topics and see if each of their parts supports their identified goal or argument.

Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures Essay

Introduction, assessment of the article’s purpose, research questions, and significance, evaluation of the theoretical framework and literature review, assessment of the discussion of methodology and research design, evaluation of the findings and recommendations, reference list.

In her article, Ali (2016) endeavours to investigate one of the crucial issues of modern discourse – the use of cohesive devices by lecturers and students. The author observes and analyses the frequency with which the teachers employ such devices in their speech and concludes that the language patterns of lecturers have a great impact on the development of cohesive skills in the students. While the research objectives are relevant and the answers to questions put by Ali (2016) would benefit the investigation of discourse, the author’s article incorporates a number of limitations connected with the flow of research as well as grammar and stylistics of her writing. The author makes numerous errors (both content and grammatical) that take away from the study’s value. A stronger analysis of research results and a more thorough approach to recommendations are needed to make this article a valuable source for researchers.

The author has not developed any research questions in her study. Furthermore, she has not stated the purpose of the article. However, Ali (2016) mentions three objectives of the paper. The first one sounds rather ambiguous – the author mentions that she will attempt to analyse “the lecturers’ role in using cohesive devices” (Ali 2016, p. 34). I think that it would be better if the objective were to investigate the use of cohesive devices by lecturers as an influential factor in developing the students’ acquisition of such devices.

The second objective bears a more concrete character as Ali (2016) states that she will investigate the kinds of cohesive devices employed by lecturers. However, the key adjective is missing in this objective: “the most types” (Ali 2016, p. 34). Thus, we can only guess that the author meant “the most typical” or “frequent.” The third objective is the most well-developed and significant. Ali (2016) states that she will propose steps for students to improve their writing and make it more coherent. Unfortunately, the article does not contain the information of this objective is attained.

Despite the above-mentioned disadvantages, the article’s significance is rather high. However, the author should have paid more attention to the accuracy of her research, the flow of writing, and the choice of methods and aims.

The theory of cohesion was chosen by Ali (2016) as the major framework for her study. The author pays attention to the kinds of cohesive relations (relatedness in form, reference, and semantic connection) and cohesive types. Ali (2016) makes a good point by explaining the difference between grammatical and lexical cohesive types. However, on page 34, the author mentions that there are four types of cohesive devices and does not provide any justification for this issue. Therefore, the theoretical framework of Ali’s (2016) article is slightly underdeveloped.

What concerns the review of the literature, several major remarks should be made. First of all, the sources used by Ali (2016) are rather outdated. Of course, it is impossible to omit the works that originated the concepts of cohesion and discourse. However, the other sources should be more recent to provide a coherent explanation of the evolution of key terms and also demonstrate the present state of the problem. Ali (2016) could have consulted the study by Aidinlou and Shahrokhi (2012) or research by Alghamdi (2014). Both of these articles are dedicated to the impact of cohesive devices on the development of students’ writing skills. Instead, the sources mentioned by Ali (2016) are rather old. Moreover, many of the articles listed in references are not incorporated in the body of the article.

The part of discussing research design and methodology is represented in the article most extensively. Ali (2016) uses observation as a tool for her study. Further, the author describes the process of surveillance at eight lectures that she attended and gives an account of the cohesive devices employed by different lecturers. Ali (2016) provides general statistics concerning the types of devices used by each professor. While this part of the article is more or less well-constructed, some improvements still could have been made. The author should have provided a more detailed analysis of her observations.

Rather than merely stating that some devices were or were not used by a lecturer, Ali (2016) should have counted the frequency of their use. Such an approach would have given a more profound insight into the problem and would have delineated the most problematic zones. Also, it would be good if the author provided the lecturers’ level of education and their teaching experience. Such data would help to conclude whether the employment of cohesive devices by lecturers varies in accordance with their teaching experience and education level. Instead, all we can see from the author’s analysis of data is whether the lecturers used or did not use some cohesive devices. Still, Ali (2016) makes a productive conclusion about the general use of cohesive devices by lecturers.

This part is the most poorly presented in Ali’s (2016) research. The findings merely reiterate the observation results in one sentence. The author gives some good suggestions for the improvement of the poor use of cohesive devices. However, these recommendations are not connected with each other and are not supported by any scholarly data. Ali (2016) mentions that lecturers should suggest activities that would enhance the learners’ writing skills, but she fails to give any examples of the possible solutions. In my opinion, the author could have strengthened this part by producing some practical recommendations about the ways of developing learners’ awareness and employment of cohesive devices. Of course, the lecturers’ example plays a crucial role, but there are other ways (for instance, self-education and self-development) that might help to solve the problem. Thus, the weakness of Ali’s (2016) recommendations is in their being too general.

Ali (2016) has performed an important study of a relevant issue in modern discourse analysis. She has organised the study design extensively and analysed it thoroughly. However, there is a number of limitations in Ali’s research. The author has not pointed out the purpose of her article and has not delineated any research questions. Literature used in the article is outdated, and not all sources listed in references are reflected in the article’s body. Conclusions are too general, and no specific recommendations are given as to how the use of cohesive devices can be improved. It is suggested that in her future research work, Ali (2016) should pay more attention to the accuracy of her writing and expression of thoughts. In general, the purpose of Ali’s (2016) article is significant for modern linguistic research, but it needs considerable revision work that would emphasise the benefits of the study.

Aidinlou, N A & Shahrokhi, H 2012, ‘The effect of discourse markers instruction on EFL learners’ writing’, World Journal of Education , vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 10-16.

Alghamdi, E A 2014, ‘Discourse markers in ESL personal narrative and argumentative papers: a qualitative and quantitative analysis’, International Journal of Humanities and Social Science , vol. 4, no. 4, pp. 294-305.

Ali, M E E 2016, ‘Using cohesive devices during the course of lectures “The lectures’ role”‘, International Research Journal of Social Sciences, v ol. 5, no. 5, pp. 33-36.

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IvyPanda. (2024, January 28). Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures. https://ivypanda.com/essays/using-cohesive-devices-during-the-course-of-lectures/

"Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures." IvyPanda , 28 Jan. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/using-cohesive-devices-during-the-course-of-lectures/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures'. 28 January.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures." January 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/using-cohesive-devices-during-the-course-of-lectures/.

1. IvyPanda . "Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures." January 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/using-cohesive-devices-during-the-course-of-lectures/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Using Cohesive Devices during the Course of Lectures." January 28, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/using-cohesive-devices-during-the-course-of-lectures/.

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