Mastering Text Structure: Coherence, Cohesion, and Devices

Macrostructure of Text

• Theme
• Rheme
• Thesis Sentence
• Subtopics

Microstructure of Text

Subordination

Subordinating conjunctions connect clauses, indicating various relationships:

• Cause: as, because, since
• Purpose: so, so that
• Contrastive: although, though
• Temporal: after, before, until, while, etc.
• Conditional/Indirect Question: if, unless, as long as, provided, whenever, whatever
• Noun Clause Introducer: that

Correlating Coordinators

These pairs of conjunctions connect grammatically equal elements:

• both... and
• not only... but also
• either... or
• whether... or not
• neither... nor (negative correlator)

Transition Linkers

Words and phrases that connect ideas and show relationships between sentences or paragraphs:

• Cause and Effect (Subordination): because, so, accordingly, thus, consequently, hence, therefore, as
• Comparison: similarly, likewise, whereas, but, on the other hand, except, by comparison, when compared to, equally, in the same way
• Contrast: but, however, yet, still, even though, nevertheless, on the other hand, otherwise, after all, for all of that, on the contrary, notwithstanding, in contrast, unlike, whereas, instead of, alternatively, although
• Time: at once, immediately, meanwhile, at length, in the meantime, at the same time, in the end, when, then, as, before that, after that
• Addition (Coordination): and, also, even, again, moreover, further, furthermore, similarly, in addition, as well as
• Example: for example, such as, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, in this manner, to illustrate
• Sequence: first, second, third, next, then, following, now, at this point, after, after this, subsequently, eventually, finally, previously
• Summary: in brief, on the whole, in sum, to sum up, thus

Key Textual Elements

Subtopics

Common subtopics that contribute to textual development:

• Change
• Time
• Reference to Addressee
• Positive
• Negative
• Books and Citations

Rhetorical Features

Stylistic devices used to enhance meaning and persuasion:

• Repetitions
• Metaphor
• Synesthesia
• Anaphora
• Cataphora
• Metonymy
• Anadiplosis
• etc.

Paragraph Typology

Different structures for paragraphs based on their communicative function:

• Definition
• Summary
• Exemplification
• Contrast
• Process
• Comparison

Textuality: Coherence, Cohesion, and Progressivity

Coherence

If a text is coherent, it is because the whole text bears on the same topic, and there is a semantic connection between the sentences. This condition has to do with the information communicated. Thus, coherence relates to topics and subtopics. The writer, then, has to organize the information before starting and avoid taking tangents from the main message.

Cohesion

If a text is cohesive, it is because the ideas inserted in the text are well connected. This condition focuses on how the information is presented in the text and how the ideas are related to one another. Thus, cohesion relates to topics and subtopics but from a syntactic perspective. A text achieves cohesion through connectors, textual cohesive devices (e.g., pronouns, textual synonyms), similar syntactic structures, and more.

Progressivity

The text is progressive because it continuously offers new information. All the information is presented logically.

Genre and Purpose

The purpose of the text is communicative.