Cohesion and cohesive devices
What makes a piece of writing hang together, and the small words that do the linking.
The answer
A text has cohesion when it is clear how its sentences and paragraphs fit together, because words link back to what came before.
Examples
Joe was given a bike for his birthday. He liked it very much.
The pronouns link back to Joe and the bike.
Dad bought a football. The football was expensive!
The determiner the tells you it is the same football.
We have to wait for the next train. Meanwhile, we could have a snack.
The adverb meanwhile links back to the time of waiting.
Some people love winter. On the other hand, many prefer summer.
A Year 6 linking adverbial.
How to spot it
- Look for words that point back: pronouns (he, it, they), determiners (the, this) and repeated key words.
- Look for linking words between sentences and paragraphs: then, after that, firstly, however, on the other hand.
- Ask whether each sentence makes sense after the one before. If you keep wondering who or what is meant, cohesion is weak.
The common mistake
Linking with the same word every time, or with a pronoun that could mean two things.
‘Then we went in. Then we sat down. Then it started.’ links, but it is dull. And ‘Mum told Gran she was late’ leaves the reader guessing who was late. Vary the links, and use a noun when a pronoun is unclear.
When it is taught
- First met
- Year 4
- On the pupil word list
- Year 5, as “cohesion”
Year 4 chooses a pronoun or noun to aid cohesion and avoid repetition. Year 5 names cohesion and uses devices such as then, after that, this and firstly. Year 6 adds repetition, adverbials such as on the other hand, and ellipsis.
Try a question
Which word links the second sentence back to the first? Tick one.
Our class visited a castle. It was built nine hundred years ago.
- visited
- It
- built
- ago
Show the answer
Answer: It
It is a pronoun that refers back to the castle, so the reader knows what was built.
Related terms
More grammar terms
Questions parents ask
What is a cohesive device?
A word or phrase that shows how parts of a text fit together. The glossary lists determiners and pronouns that refer back, conjunctions and adverbs that show relations such as time, and ellipsis of expected words.
Is cohesion the same as paragraphs?
No, but they work together. Paragraphs group ideas; cohesive devices such as later, nearby and secondly link one paragraph to the next.
Is cohesion tested?
Yes. The KS2 grammar test framework lists cohesion alongside pronouns, so a question can ask which word refers back to another.
Grammar turns up in 11+ English too
Many 11+ English papers include grammar and punctuation questions alongside comprehension. The free diagnostic checks maths, English and both kinds of reasoning, and shows what to practise next. No card is required.