Discourse Organization and Cohesion Flashcards
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In the sentence pair 'The experiment failed. It had not been properly calibrated,' what cohesive device links the two sentences?
Answer: Pronoun reference — 'it' refers back to 'the experiment'
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.
Which transitional expression signals a CONCESSION — acknowledging an opposing point before continuing with the main argument?
Answer: Admittedly
'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.
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?
Answer: Topic sentence — it states the main idea that the rest of the paragraph develops
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.
What is the difference between cohesion and coherence in a text?
Answer: Cohesion refers to surface-level linguistic links (pronouns, connectors, repetition); coherence refers to the logical flow and relevance of ideas
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).
Which of the following is an example of lexical cohesion through COLLOCATION?
Answer: Using the word 'conducted' alongside 'research' because they frequently co-occur
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.
A student's essay jumps from discussing the causes of deforestation to the history of paper manufacturing without any linking sentence. This is primarily a problem of:
Answer: Coherence — the text lacks a clear logical connection between the two topics
When ideas shift without logical justification or a bridging statement, the text loses coherence — the reader cannot follow the progression of thought. This is an organizational/logical problem, not primarily a grammar or vocabulary issue.