COHESION

What is a text?

“A text may be spoken or written, prose or verb,

dialogue or monologue. It may be anything from a

single proverb to a whole play.”

For example,

Cohesion or Cohesive attraction or Cohesive force is the action or property of molecules

sticking together, being mutually attractive. This is an intrinsic property of a substance that is

caused by the shape and structure of its molecules which makes the distribution of

orbiting electrons irregular when molecules get close to one another, creating

electrical attraction that can maintain a microscopic structure such as a water drop. In

other words, cohesion allows for surface tension, creating a "solid-like" state upon which light (in weight) or low density materials can be

placed.

In a text,The unity of sentences

contributing to the meaning is called Texture.

The occurrence of a pair of cohesively related items is called a Tie. It could be a Reference or a Repetition.

A Cohesive tie helps in distinguishing between

spoken and written passages, difference

between genres and works of different writers.

What is cohesion?

Cohesion is the use of repetition,

transitional expressions, and other devices (cohesive cues)

to guide readers and show how the parts of a

composition relate to one other.

“When the big parts fit, we call that good feeling coherence ; when sentences connect, we

call it cohesion.”

Roy Peter Clark, Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every

Writer (Little, Brown, 2006)

Coherent presentation is how it is presented

Cohesive presentation is what is presented.

Coherence is then the selective writing with the

help of a proper order.A chronological order in a fictional action sequence or a cause and effect in a

factual document.

Cohesiveness is when the interpretation of the

meaning of one element in the text is dependent

on the other.

Types of Cohesion

Transition and Link Words

TRANSITIONAL WORDSfirst, second, third, finally,

in the beginning, at the start, to begin/start with,

after that, then, in between, before than,

finally etc.

LINK WORDSsimilarly/ in the same way/ in a

different way/ but/ on the one hand … on the other hand/ in contrast/ though/ however/ moreover/ in

addition/ on top of that/ whereas…. This mostly goes together with the use

of comparatives like more/ most/ better/ best/ worse/ worst/ better

than/ worse than/ even worse.

Other link words ( for cause and effect)

because/ consequently/ therefore/ as a

result/ . Conditional truths may be announced by words

like depending on/ given that/ assuming that.

Performative Verbs and Commenting Adverbs

and Modal Verbs

Performative Verbs

X claims, X states, X argues, X insists, X mentions, X believes, X postulates ,or (the author) postulates, suggests,

describes, illustrates, criticizes, demonstrates, believes,

assumes, concludes.

Commenting Adverbs

obviously, essentially, crucially, certainly,

secretively, tacitly, boldly, clearly, allegedly, surreptitiously

Modal Verbs

may/ might/ can be/ could be/ is/ has/ is not/

cannot be/ must be

Anaphora, Synonyms and Hyponyms

Anaphoric elements as in pronouns as in this/ that/ he/ she/ / it/ they/

who/ which.Synonyms and Hyponyms of the

words to avoid repetition.

Example of Hyponyms –1. They cleaned the roof. The tiles were

all dirty.

2.The book was sent by post. The cover was missing, and

many pages torn.