Cohesion and coherence in writing for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: First Term
Week: 7
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: English Language
Curriculum Theme: Writing
Focal competence: Using coherence and cohesive devices in writing
Key competencies/values: Communication; ICT and Digital Competencies; Digital Competencies; Collaboration
Skills:

• Using cohesion and cohesive devices in writing

Previous Lesson: Mood, Distinguishing Mood from Tone in Selected Passages
Topic: Cohesion And Coherence In Writing
Subject Matter: Meaning of cohesion and coherence in writing

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• define cohesion in writing;
• define coherence in writing;
• explain the difference between cohesion and coherence in writing.

Affective Domain

• appreciate the importance of cohesion and coherence for clear communication;
• show interest in improving their writing skills.

Psychomotor Domain

• identify cohesive devices in a given text;
• identify coherent ideas in a given text.

Social Domain

• collaborate effectively in groups to analyse texts for cohesion and coherence.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• A suitable English Language textbook for SS 1
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Flash cards with examples of cohesive devices
• Sample passages with cohesion and coherence
• Newspaper cuttings and magazines (for text analysis)
• Whiteboard and markers

Rationale for the Lesson

Understanding cohesion and coherence is fundamental for effective written communication. This lesson equips students with the knowledge to construct clear, logical, and well-connected texts, which is crucial for academic success and everyday communication. It helps students move beyond simply writing sentences to crafting meaningful and understandable paragraphs and essays.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of sentence structure, paragraph development, and the importance of clear expression in writing.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Cohesion And Coherence In Writing

Meaning of Cohesion in Writing

Cohesion refers to the grammatical and lexical links that connect different parts of a text, such as sentences, clauses, and paragraphs. It is concerned with the surface-level connections that make a text “stick together.” These links help to create a smooth flow of ideas and ensure that the reader can follow the progression of information.

Common cohesive devices include:

1. Pronouns: Using pronouns (e.g., he, she, it, they, this, that) to refer back to previously mentioned nouns.
2. Conjunctions/Connectives: Words or phrases that link sentences or clauses (e.g., and, but, or, because, therefore, however, in addition, furthermore).
3. Lexical Cohesion:
   1. Repetition: Repeating key words or phrases for emphasis or clarity.
   2. Synonyms/Antonyms: Using words with similar or opposite meanings to refer to the same concept or introduce contrast.
   3. Collocation: Words that frequently appear together (e.g., “heavy rain,” “make a decision”).
   4. General Nouns: Using general nouns (e.g., “thing,” “idea,” “problem”) to refer to specific concepts.
4. Substitution: Replacing a word or phrase with a shorter one (e.g., “I like coffee.” “I do too.”).
5. Ellipsis: Omitting words or phrases that are understood from the context (e.g., “Did you finish your homework?” “Yes, I did.”).

Example of Cohesion:

The dog barked loudly. It chased the cat. However, the cat was too fast and escaped.

In this example, “It” refers to “the dog,” and “However” and “and” are conjunctions that link the sentences.

Meaning of Coherence in Writing

Coherence refers to the logical organization of ideas in a text, making it understandable and meaningful as a whole. It is concerned with the underlying sense and logical connection of the content. A coherent text presents ideas in a way that makes sense to the reader, allowing them to grasp the main message and follow the argument or narrative easily.

Key aspects of coherence include:

1. Logical Order: Presenting ideas in a sensible sequence (e.g., chronological, spatial, order of importance).
2. Clear Topic Sentences: Each paragraph having a clear main idea that relates to the overall thesis.
3. Consistent Point of View: Maintaining a consistent perspective throughout the text.
4. Relevant Information: All information presented being directly related to the main topic.
5. Appropriate Transitions: Smooth movement between ideas and paragraphs.

Example of Coherence:

A paragraph describing the steps to bake a cake, starting from gathering ingredients, then mixing, baking, and finally decorating, demonstrates coherence because the ideas are presented in a logical, step-by-step order that makes sense to the reader.

Difference Between Cohesion and Coherence in Writing

While cohesion and coherence are closely related and often work together, they are distinct concepts:

1. Nature of Connection:
   1. Cohesion: Deals with the surface-level, linguistic connections (grammatical and lexical ties) between words, sentences, and paragraphs. It is about how the words are linked.
   2. Coherence: Deals with the deeper, logical, and semantic connections of ideas within the text. It is about the overall meaning and understandability.
2. Focus:
   1. Cohesion: Focuses on the “sticking together” of parts through specific linguistic devices.
   2. Coherence: Focuses on the “making sense” of the whole text through logical organization and relevant content.
3. Relationship:
   1. A text can be cohesive (well-linked words) but not coherent (ideas don’t make sense).
   2. A text can be coherent (ideas make sense) but lack strong cohesive ties (making it sound choppy or less smooth).
   3. Ideally, effective writing is both cohesive and coherent.

Illustrative Example:

Consider the following sentences:

1. “I bought a new car. It is red. Red is my favourite colour. My favourite colour is also the colour of a fire engine. Fire engines are used to put out fires. Fires are dangerous.”

This passage has strong **cohesion** (e.g., “It” refers to “car,” “Red” links to “red,” “My favourite colour” is repeated, “Fire engines” is repeated). However, it lacks **coherence** because the ideas jump from car to colour to fire engines to danger without a clear, logical progression or central purpose. The sentences are linked, but the overall message is unclear and rambling.

2. “I bought a new car last week. It is a sleek red sedan, which I chose because red is my favourite colour. This vehicle will be very useful for my daily commute to work.”

This passage demonstrates both **cohesion** (e.g., “It” refers to “car,” “which” links clauses) and **coherence** because the ideas logically flow from buying a car, to its colour and the reason for the colour, and then to its purpose. The sentences are linked and the overall message is clear and makes sense.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Group Work, Guided Practice, Text Analysis

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Elicitation/Engagement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them what makes a piece of writing easy to understand. The teacher then introduces the topic of cohesion and coherence as key elements for clear writing.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the question and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Importance of clear writing

Step 2: Meaning of Cohesion

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Illustration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines cohesion, explaining it as the “sticking together” of a text through grammatical and lexical links. The teacher provides examples of cohesive devices like pronouns, conjunctions, and repetition using flash cards and short sentences on the board.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, take notes, and identify cohesive devices in the teacher’s examples.

Learning Point: Definition of cohesion

Step 3: Meaning of Coherence

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Conceptualisation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher defines coherence, explaining it as the logical flow and overall sense of a text. The teacher uses an example of a jumbled paragraph and asks students to rearrange it to make it coherent, highlighting the importance of logical order and relevant ideas.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, take notes, and participate in rearranging the jumbled paragraph to achieve coherence.

Learning Point: Definition of coherence

Step 4: Differentiating Cohesion and Coherence

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Comparison/Analysis

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explicitly explains the difference between cohesion (surface links) and coherence (logical meaning), using the illustrative examples from the board summary. The teacher emphasizes that a text needs both to be truly effective.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and compare the two concepts.

Learning Point: Cohesion vs. coherence

Step 5: Group Activity – Identifying Cohesion and Coherence

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Practice/Collaboration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides students into small groups and distributes sample passages (from newspapers, magazines, or books). The teacher guides each group to identify instances of cohesion (e.g., pronouns, conjunctions) and assess the overall coherence of their assigned text.

Pupils’ Activity: Students work in groups to analyse the provided texts, identifying cohesive devices and discussing the coherence of the passages.

Learning Point: Text analysis practice

Step 6: Group Presentation and Feedback

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Facilitation/Feedback

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher invites a representative from each group to briefly present their findings on cohesion and coherence in their assigned text. The teacher provides constructive feedback and clarifies any misconceptions.

Pupils’ Activity: Group representatives present their analysis, and other pupils listen and provide peer feedback.

Learning Point: Application of concepts

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is cohesion in writing?
2. What is coherence in writing?
3. Give two examples of cohesive devices.
4. Explain the main difference between cohesion and coherence.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Understanding cohesion and coherence

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on the meaning of cohesion, coherence, and their differences into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Recording lesson content

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Reinforcement

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the lesson by reiterating that both cohesion and coherence are vital for producing clear, effective, and understandable written work. The teacher encourages students to apply these principles in their own writing.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the importance of the concepts learned.

Learning Point: Consolidating key concepts

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Read a short article from a newspaper or magazine. In your notebook:

1. Identify at least five cohesive devices used in the article (e.g., pronouns, conjunctions, repeated words).
2. Write a short paragraph explaining whether you found the article coherent and why.

Lesson Keywords

• Cohesion – The grammatical and lexical links that connect parts of a text.
• Coherence – The logical organization and overall sense of ideas in a text.
• Cohesive devices – Words or phrases that create links between sentences (e.g., pronouns, conjunctions).
• Logical flow – The sensible progression of ideas in a text.

Differentiation

For students who struggle, provide simpler texts with clear examples of cohesive devices and guide them to identify the main idea of paragraphs. For advanced learners, challenge them to rewrite a poorly cohesive or incoherent paragraph to improve its clarity and flow, explaining the changes they made.

Suggested Lesson Videos

For further understanding, students can search on YouTube for: cohesion and coherence in writing SS1 english