Welcome back. In our last lesson, we focused on using transitional words and phrases to create explicit links between your ideas. You learned how techniques like the "head-to-tail" transition—echoing a word from one sentence at the start of the next—can make your writing flow.
Today, we're going to expand on that principle to look at a broader concept: cohesion. Cohesion is what makes a piece of writing feel like a unified, singular whole, rather than a collection of separate facts. We'll concentrate on two fundamental techniques for achieving it: strategically repeating key terms and using clear pronoun references. Mastering these will help you guide your reader's attention and ensure your articles are not just informative, but effortlessly clear and professional.
1. Understanding Cohesion and Flow
Before we get into the "how," let's clarify the "what." When writing has good cohesion, each sentence seems to follow naturally from the one before it. The connections are logical and seamless, creating a smooth reading experience often described as "flow." When cohesion is weak, the text feels choppy and disjointed, forcing the reader to work harder to connect the dots.
The following video provides an excellent comparison of a disjointed paragraph and a cohesive one, and then breaks down why the second one works so well.
This video, "How To Make Your Writing Flow" by Dr. Clare Lynch, offers a practical demonstration of cohesion in action.
Please watch these key segments: The introduction to the concept of flow. The two examples about kefir. Pay attention to how the first version feels disconnected, while the second feels smooth. The analysis of the flowing passage. Notice how the writer creates an "A-B, B-C, C-D pattern" by picking up an idea from the end of one sentence and using it to start the next. The summary of the main principle.
The core idea from the video is the "known to new" contract. You start a sentence with information the reader already knows (the "known") and end with new information. That new information then becomes the "known" for the next sentence, creating a logical chain. Strategic repetition and clear pronouns are the tools we use to build that chain.
2. The Core Techniques of Cohesion
Now, let's break down the two main techniques for building this cohesive chain.
Technique 1: Strategic Repetition
Many of us were taught to avoid repetition at all costs. While it's true that repeating words unnecessarily can make prose sound clumsy, the complete avoidance of repetition is a myth. As the writing guide from Cornell University's Knight Institute states, "some repetition is necessary in order to build an essay...that develop[s] logically."
The key is to repeat strategically. This means repeating key terms, or their synonyms, to keep the reader focused on the main subject.
This page from the EAP Foundation provides a concise explanation of how repetition creates cohesion.
Please read the section titled "Repeated words/ideas." Notice how the example text uses variations of cohesion and writing and synonyms for important features to hold the paragraph together.
In entertainment journalism, this might mean repeating an actor's name, a film's title, or a core theme (like "ambition" or "legacy") to keep the reader anchored as you introduce new details or analysis.
Technique 2: Clear Pronoun References
Pronouns and other reference words (like this, that, these) are powerful cohesive devices because they create a direct link to something mentioned earlier. However, they only work if the reference is crystal clear. An ambiguous pronoun can instantly break your reader's concentration.
Let's return to the same resource to see how this works.
This section builds on the previous one by showing how reference words function.
Now, read the next section titled "Reference words." See how words like it and these point back to concepts in the previous sentences, creating a clear and efficient link.
A pro-level tip is to sometimes replace a simple pronoun with a more descriptive phrase. Instead of just using "it" or "this," you can use the opportunity to subtly add detail or reinforce your point. For example, instead of writing:
The director used a handheld camera for the entire film. This created a sense of unease.
You could write:
The director used a handheld camera for the entire film. This documentary-style approach created a sense of unease.
This revision is stronger because "This documentary-style approach" is more specific and adds a layer of analysis, which is a key part of your job as a critic or journalist.
3. Your Turn: Weaving a Paragraph Together
Let's put these techniques into practice. Here is a short paragraph from a hypothetical article about a director's career. It's functional, but choppy and relies on vague pronouns.
Your task is to rewrite it to improve its cohesion. Use strategic repetition of key terms (or synonyms) and replace weak pronouns with clearer references.
Original Text:
Greta Gerwig's 2017 film Lady Bird was a critical and commercial success. It explored the complex relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter. She followed it up in 2019 with Little Women. This was a fresh take on a classic novel. It earned multiple Academy Award nominations, cementing her status as a major filmmaker.
Task: Copy the text and revise it for better flow and cohesion.
Sample Solution
Here is one possible revision. Your version may differ, but it should demonstrate a conscious effort to connect the sentences more smoothly.
Greta Gerwig's 2017 film Lady Bird was a critical and commercial success that explored the complex relationship between a mother and her teenage daughter. She followed that intimate coming-of-age story with Little Women in 2019. This new adaptation of the classic novel was a fresh take that earned multiple Academy Award nominations, cementing Gerwig's status as a major filmmaker.
Analysis of this version:
- The first two sentences of the original were combined for better flow.
- "that intimate coming-of-age story" replaces the vague "it." This phrase not only points back to Lady Bird but also reminds the reader of its genre and theme, creating a stronger bridge.
- "This new adaptation" replaces the weak "This." It clarifies what "this" is (Little Women) and adds the descriptive context that it's an adaptation.
- "Gerwig's" is used instead of "her" in the final clause to provide a strong, clear endnote, reinforcing whose status was cemented.
Conclusion
In this lesson, we moved from simple transitions to the broader concept of cohesion—the underlying fabric that holds your writing together. By creating a logical chain of "known" and "new" information, you make your prose smoother and more authoritative.
Key Takeaways:
- Cohesion creates "flow" by ensuring sentences connect logically and seamlessly.
- Strategic repetition of key words and their synonyms is not a mistake; it's a tool for keeping the reader focused on the central subject.
- Clear pronoun references create direct links between sentences. For stronger writing, consider replacing a simple pronoun like "this" with a more descriptive phrase that reinforces your meaning.
In our previous lesson, we connected sentences. Today, we've solidified paragraphs. In our next lesson, we'll scale up again to look at bridge sentences, a technique for creating smooth transitions between larger, distinct sections of your articles.