Language Proficiency Discourse Organization and Cohesion

Question 1

In the sentence pair 'The experiment failed. It had not been properly calibrated,' what cohesive device links the two sentences?

Accepted Answer

Pronoun reference — 'it' refers back to 'the experiment'

Answer

Pronoun reference is a cohesive device that replaces a previously mentioned noun (the antecedent) with a pronoun. Here, 'it' refers to 'the experiment,' creating a grammatical link between the sentences without repetition.

Question 2

Which transitional expression signals a CONCESSION — acknowledging an opposing point before continuing with the main argument?

Accepted Answer

Admittedly

Answer

'Admittedly' introduces a concession, signaling that the writer acknowledges a valid point on the other side before reasserting their own position. 'Furthermore' adds information, 'as a result' shows cause-effect, and 'in other words' signals reformulation.

Question 3

A paragraph begins: 'Renewable energy offers significant economic benefits.' The sentences that follow discuss job creation, reduced fuel costs, and long-term investment returns. What structural role does the opening sentence play?

Accepted Answer

Topic sentence — it states the main idea that the rest of the paragraph develops

Answer

The opening sentence is the topic sentence: it announces the paragraph's controlling idea ('economic benefits'), and every subsequent sentence (jobs, costs, investment) supports and develops that idea. A topic sentence orients the reader before evidence is presented.

Question 4

What is the difference between cohesion and coherence in a text?

Accepted Answer

Cohesion refers to surface-level linguistic links (pronouns, connectors, repetition); coherence refers to the logical flow and relevance of ideas

Answer

Cohesion is the surface 'glue' — the grammatical and lexical devices that link sentences (pronouns, conjunctions, lexical chains). Coherence is deeper — it concerns whether the ideas actually make logical sense and progress in a meaningful way. A text can be cohesive but incoherent (grammatically linked but logically jumbled).

Question 5

Which of the following is an example of lexical cohesion through COLLOCATION?

Accepted Answer

Using the word 'conducted' alongside 'research' because they frequently co-occur

Answer

Collocation is a form of lexical cohesion in which words that habitually appear together (e.g., 'conduct research,' 'make a decision') create a sense of semantic relatedness within the text. This is distinct from simple repetition, pronoun reference, or conjunctions.

Language Proficiency Practice Test

Language Proficiency Practice Test

Language Proficiency Discourse Organization and Cohesion