Cohesion in writing is simply how well your words flow. It’s the glue that holds each idea together, making your text easy for people to read, understand, and enjoy.
The freelance writing world has grown over the years because it offers people the flexibility to work from home while pursuing goals and dreams. But as more and more writers step into the space, it’s important that you continue to develop strong writing skills and stand out amongst your competition.
Cohesion can help with that!
This quick article covers what cohesion is, why it’s important, and how to skillfully achieve it. If you’re ready to level-up your writing, whether fiction or non-fiction, read on and check out these tips for making your words flow in a cohesive motion.
What is Cohesion in Writing?
Cohesion in writing is when the writer uses several different elements to make sure their sentences and paragraphs flow smoothly and logically from one to the next. It’s all about ensuring your ideas are connected in a way that makes sense to the reader, letting them follow your argument or narrative without getting lost along the way.
Have you ever read a book, and suddenly, a scene felt so jarring that it ripped you from the story? That’s poor cohesion. Good writing with proper cohesion lets the reader open the book and get lost in the story from beginning to end.
Why is Cohesion Important in Writing?
Cohesion is important in because it greatly improves readability and comprehension of the text, whether it’s a repair manual or a romance novel. When your writing is cohesive, readers can easily follow your train of thought, making your content more engaging and far more effective.
Examples are usually the best way to demonstrate, so let’s compare these two examples:
An excerpt without proper cohesion: “The dog sat on the deck. It was sunny today. Dogs love warm weather.”
Let’s see it revamped with cohesion: “The dog sat on the deck because it was warm and sunny outside, and dogs love basking in the comforting heat of the sun.”
See how the second example just flows better? We’ve made it easier for readers to understand the relationship between the sentences. The first sentence just seems to be making three separate statements.
How Can You Achieve Cohesion in Your Writing?
You can achieve cohesion in your writing by working on a variety of different writing techniques. Things like using transition words to join two sentences or statements, mixing up the use of pronouns to avoid repetition, organizing your ideas before you start writing so they’re delivered in a proper flow and order, and so much more.
What Role Do Transition Words Play in Cohesion?
Transition words play a massive role in cohesion because they link sentences and paragraphs together, showing the relationship between ideas. Without transition words, you’re left with the example above about the dog.
Some common transition words are “however,” “therefore,” “furthermore,” and “in addition.” These, and many others, can help guide the reader through your text instead of chopping it up into a bunch of little statements that make the writing feel jarring. Even simple transition words like “but” or “also” can do the trick.
Here are some quick examples:
“I wanted to go for a walk in the park; however, it started to rain.” (using “however”)
“My son had an allergic reaction to peanuts, but he seems to be fine with strawberries.” (Using “but”)
These transitions help readers understand how your ideas connect and build upon each other.
How Does Consistency in Tense and Person Contribute to Cohesion?
Consistency in tense and person is so important and works with cohesion, so your writing is uniform and easy to follow. Switching tenses or narrative perspectives can create confusion and disrupt the whole flow of your writing, ripping readers from the instructions or story on the page.
Here are some examples to show what we mean:
Inconsistent: “Arya was walking down the street when she sees her friend Charlie.” This mixes two different tenses, suggesting that something was happening but also that something is currently happening. The word was is past tense, but the word sees is present tense.
Consistent: “Arya was walking down the street when she saw her friend Charlie.” Using the word saw instead of sees puts this whole sentence in the correct tense.
Maintaining the same tense and narrative perspective throughout your piece keeps your writing clear and cohesive for anyone who reads it.
What are Common Mistakes that Affect Cohesion?
Common mistakes that affect cohesion are things like suddenly changing the topic, inconsistent use of tense and person, and a heavy overuse or even a misuse of transition words.
There are several ways to mess up the cohesion in your writing, but those are the most common. Let’s go over a few examples to show you just how important it is to get your cohesion right.
Abruptly Changing the Topic
- Too Abrupt: “The weather was beautiful today. I love my dog. Dogs are great pets.”
- Nice and Cohesive: “The weather was so beautiful today, which made it perfect for taking my dogs out for a walk. Dogs are such great pets because they love being outdoor just as much as we do.”
Inconsistent Use of Tense
- Wrong: “My mother was making bread and sees a bee in the kitchen.”
- Right: “My mother was making bread and saw a bee in the kitchen.”
Overuse or Misuse of Transition Words
- Incorrect: “I loved the concert last night but however, it was so hot in the stadium, and, in addition, I also spilled my drink.”
- Correct: “I loved the concert last night, but it was so hot in the stadium, and I spilled my drink.”
How Can You Use Pronouns Effectively for Cohesion?
You can use pronouns effectively for cohesion by checking that they clearly refer to the correct nouns and by avoiding ambiguous references. Pronouns like “he,” “she,” “it,” “they,” and “this” can easily help link sentences and ideas together without having to use large, confusing words.
For example:
Ambiguous: “I’m going to the store,” he said. “I’ll be back in ten minutes,” he added.
Clear: “I’m going to the store. I’ll be back in ten minutes,” he said.
Using pronouns correctly but also sparingly helps maintain clarity and coherence in your writing. Only use them when you really need to identify the person.
What are Some Tips for Improving Cohesion in Your Writing?
Here are a few pro tips for improving cohesion in your writing:
- Use transition words and phrases: Slip in some words like “however,” “therefore,” “furthermore,” “also,” and “in addition” to connect your ideas together in a cohesive string.
- Keep on top of consistency in tense and person: Choose a tense and stick to it throughout the whole document.
- Utilize your pronouns: Make sure any pronouns clearly refer to the correct nouns and avoid repetition.
- Create clear topic sentences: Begin each paragraph with a sentence that clearly states the main idea or introduces it, at the very least.
- Organize your ideas logically: Arrange your points in a logical sequence, building on previous ideas to create a smooth flow in your writing.
- Repeat key terms and concepts: Reinforce important ideas by repeating key terms, but avoid overdoing it. You have to strike a balance here.
- Always be clear in your explanations: Elaborate on your points with detailed explanations and use examples to clarify your ideas to the reader.
- Edit and revise: Go over your writing with a fine-toothed comb to identify and fix any cohesion issues.
- Read your writing aloud: Sometimes, we have to say it or hear it. Read your writing aloud or use features like Word’s Read Aloud to have it read back to you.
- As for feedback: Get input from other writers or avid readers you know to see if it’s easy to follow and understand.
Readers Crave Cohesion!
Cohesion in writing is so important if your goal is to create clear, engaging, and effective content, whether it’s a buying guide for blenders or the next bestselling novel.
We broke down details about what cohesion really is, why it’s important, the dos and don’ts, and tips for smoothing out your writing with better cohesion.
Once you understand and apply the techniques we went over in this guide, you can improve the flow and readability of your writing. Just remember that practice always makes perfect!With these few tips and strategies on writing cohesion, you should be well on your way to writing more compelling content. And if you need a little extra help, consider reaching out to professional essay writers online for some extra help.
<p>The post What is Cohesion in Writing? first appeared on DAILY WRITING TIPS.</p>
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Author: Candace Osmond
