Coherence and Cohesion
Lilia Moyer
Coherence and Cohesion
Coherence:

all ideas are related to the main idea

the order of ideas makes sense
Cohesion:

Connect between ideas in the text:

Reference pronouns

Lexical cohesion

Substitution

Ellipsis

Logical connectives
Not very clear:
 The way the football and the basketball played is as interesting
as the players. Football is game of precision each play is
diagrammed to accomplish the goal. Basketball is the game of
endurance a basketball game looks like a track meet the team
that drops of exhaustion first loses. Basketball player are often
compared to artist they move graceful and slam dunks are their
masterpieces.
Clearer:
 “The way football and basketball are played is as
interesting as the players. Because football is a game
of precision, each play is diagrammed to accomplish a
certain goal. Basketball, however, is a game of
endurance. In fact, a basketball game looks like a track
meet; the team that drops of exhaustion first, loses.
These players are often compared to artists; their
graceful moves and slam dunks are their
masterpieces.”
Instructions:
Look for the answers to these question on the paragraph on the next
slide:
1. What does “that” mean in the expression “in addition to that”?
2. Who are “these students” in line 2?
3. What does “this” mean in the expression “This is important not
only…”?
4. What does “that” mean in the expression “know how to do that”?
Why were the words “this”, “that” and “these” used?
Cohesion and coherence
Sports promote success in high school students. Students who
practice sports tend to be more focused. These students are used to
having a practice routine and a couch that demands discipline.
These are factors that will determine the team’s success as well as
help students become more focused in the classroom. As a
consequence, student’s chances of succeeding in school become
higher. In addition to that, those who practice sports are more
willing to work in groups. Many students need to learn how to
interact with others. This is important not only for their academic
life but also for their professional life. As students graduate, they
will find employment and be required to work in teams. If they do
not know how to do that, they will not succeed in the professional
world. The ability to focus and to collaborate with others are
probably the most important contributions of sports to adolescents.