Cohesive Devices and Text Coherence
Match Cohesive Device Type to Definition
Draw a line to match each type of cohesive device with its definition.
Which Version Has Better Cohesion?
Circle the version with better cohesion.
A or B?
A or B?
Sort: Type of Cohesive Device
Sort each device into the correct column.
Identify Cohesive Devices
Read the paragraph below. Find and label each cohesive device using these codes: PR (pronoun reference), CO (connective), LE (lexical cohesion/synonym).
Paragraph: 'Marie Curie was one of the most remarkable scientists of the twentieth century. The Polish-born researcher became the first person to win two Nobel Prizes, in physics and in chemistry. Her groundbreaking discoveries about radioactivity transformed our understanding of atomic structure. However, despite her extraordinary achievements, the physicist faced significant discrimination as a woman in science. She persevered nonetheless, and her legacy continues to inspire scientists around the world.' List three cohesive devices you found, label their type, and explain what they connect.
Sort Connectives by Logical Relationship
Sort each connective into the correct column.
Fix the Choppy Paragraph
Rewrite the paragraph below to improve its cohesion. Add connectives, replace repeated nouns with pronouns or synonyms, and smooth the flow. Keep all the information.
Choppy paragraph: 'The old lighthouse stood on the cliff. The old lighthouse was very tall. The old lighthouse was built in 1892. The old lighthouse guided ships. Ships were often wrecked on the rocks. The rocks were dangerous. The lighthouse keeper lived in the lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper was called Amos.' Rewritten paragraph:
Write a Cohesive Paragraph
Write an original paragraph (6–8 sentences) on a topic of your choice, deliberately using at least one of each: a pronoun reference, a connective, and a lexical chain (using two or more synonyms for the same person or thing). Annotate your paragraph when finished.
Write your paragraph here:
Label and list the cohesive devices you used:
Sort: Cohesive Device in Each Sentence
Identify and sort the underlined cohesive device in each sentence into the correct column.
Build a Reference Chain
Write a paragraph (5–7 sentences) about a well-known historical or scientific figure. Throughout the paragraph, build a complete reference chain for the person using at least four different referring expressions (their name, a pronoun, two different descriptive phrases). Label each expression in your paragraph.
Person: ___________________________________________ Your paragraph (reference chain labelled):
Annotate a Published Paragraph
Choose a paragraph from any published book, article, or quality non-fiction source. Copy it and annotate it for cohesive devices: label every pronoun reference (PR), connective (CO), and example of lexical cohesion (LE). Count how many of each type you find.
Text source: ___________________________________________ Copied and annotated paragraph:
Count: Pronoun references: ___ Connectives: ___ Lexical cohesion: ___
Fix Two Choppy Paragraphs
Rewrite each choppy paragraph to improve cohesion. Use pronouns, connectives, and lexical variation. Keep all information.
Paragraph 1: 'The river flooded. The river flooded the town. The town was unprepared. The town had no flood barriers. Residents left the town. Residents went to shelters. Shelters were crowded.' Rewritten version:
Paragraph 2: 'Amelia Earhart was a pilot. Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. Amelia Earhart disappeared in 1937. Amelia Earhart was flying around the world. No one found Amelia Earhart.' Rewritten version:
Write a Cohesive Argumentative Paragraph
Write an argumentative paragraph (7–9 sentences) on any topic, using at least three different formal connectives to show logical relationships between your claims. Label each connective and the relationship it signals (contrast, addition, result, concession).
Your argumentative paragraph (connectives labelled):
Write a Cohesive Narrative Paragraph
Write a narrative paragraph (7–9 sentences) describing a sequence of events. Use at least four temporal connectives to signal the sequence, and build a reference chain that tracks your main character using at least three different expressions.
Your paragraph:
Temporal connectives used: ___________________________________________ Reference chain expressions: ___________________________________________
Analyse Cohesion in a Professionally Written Paragraph
Choose a paragraph from a book, article, or essay that you find exceptionally well-written. Identify every cohesive device. Write 4–5 sentences analysing what the writer does that creates the paragraph's sense of flow and connection.
Source and copied paragraph: ___________________________________________
Your cohesion analysis:
Cohesion in Persuasive Writing
Write a persuasive paragraph (7–9 sentences) arguing for a cause of your choice. Use: at least two formal connectives (furthermore, however, therefore, consequently), one pronoun reference chain, and at least one piece of lexical cohesion. Label each device.
Your persuasive paragraph (devices labelled):
Write Two Cohesively Linked Paragraphs
Write two paragraphs on any topic. The transition between them should feel seamless: use an inter-paragraph connective and a reference back to the key idea of the first paragraph. Label all cohesive devices in both paragraphs.
Your two cohesively linked paragraphs (devices labelled):
Match Connective to Genre
Sort each connective into the genre or text type where it is most commonly found.
Write a Cohesive Information Text
Write a short information paragraph (6–8 sentences) about any topic you are studying in another subject. Use: at least two different connectives, one reference chain, and at least one example of lexical cohesion. When done, annotate every cohesive device.
Topic: ___________________________________________ Your information paragraph (annotated):
Fix Coherence as Well as Cohesion
The paragraph below has cohesive devices but is still confusing because the ideas are not in a logical order (a coherence problem, not just a cohesion problem). Reorder the sentences so the paragraph makes sense, and add any cohesive devices needed.
Disorganised paragraph: 'Therefore, it returned to the coast in June. The whale was first spotted off the coast in March. However, the whale had been absent for three months. Furthermore, marine biologists tagged it for tracking. In addition, it was seen again in February of the following year.' Reordered and improved version:
Comparative Cohesion Analysis
Find two paragraphs from two different genres (e.g., a novel extract and an encyclopedia entry). Analyse and compare the cohesive devices in each. Write 5–6 sentences on how the cohesive device choices reflect the genre and purpose of each text.
Source 1 (genre): ___________________________________________ Source 2 (genre): ___________________________________________ Your comparison:
Write a Sustained Cohesive Essay
Write a short essay (intro + two TEEL paragraphs + conclusion, approximately 350 words) on any topic. Focus on making the cohesion seamless throughout: the paragraphs should flow from one to the next, key terms should be tracked through reference chains, and connectives should signal the logical relationships between ideas.
Your essay:
Analyse and Improve Your Own Writing
Choose any piece of extended writing you have produced in this course — from any subject. Identify three specific cohesion problems: a repeated noun that should be a pronoun, a missing connective, and a place where lexical cohesion could be improved. Rewrite each problem area and explain what you changed and why.
Cohesion problem 1 (repeated noun): original — ___ / improved — ___
Cohesion problem 2 (missing connective): original — ___ / improved — ___
Cohesion problem 3 (lexical cohesion): original — ___ / improved — ___
Cohesion in a TEEL Paragraph
Write a TEEL analytical paragraph on any text. Then go back and annotate every cohesive device you used. Which types did you use most? Are there any places where cohesion could be strengthened?
Your TEEL paragraph (annotated for cohesive devices):
Reflection on your cohesive device use:
Annotate an Essay for Macro-Cohesion
Take any essay you have written (from this or another worksheet). Read it as a whole and annotate it at the macro level: Does the conclusion return to the thesis? Do the paragraph openings signal how each paragraph relates to the one before? Are key terms consistent throughout? Write 4–5 sentences reflecting on the macro-cohesion of your essay.
Essay title: ___________________________________________ Your macro-cohesion reflection:
Cohesion in Legal and Official Language
Find a short extract from a legal document, government report, or official notice. Write 4–5 sentences analysing how it uses cohesive devices — particularly its connective choices. What do the cohesive device choices tell us about the register and purpose of the text?
Source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Write a Sustained Cohesive Argument
Write a sustained argument (400–500 words) on any social or political issue. The writing must demonstrate full cohesion at all three levels: sentence, paragraph, and whole-text. After writing, annotate at least six cohesive devices and explain how each one contributes to the overall flow.
Your argument (annotated):
Analyse Cohesion in a Political Speech
Find a short extract from a political speech (any politician, any era, any country). Write 4–5 sentences analysing the cohesive devices used. How does cohesion in speech differ from cohesion in written texts? What devices does the speaker use to create flow and logical connection?
Speech and speaker: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Write a News Article with Strong Cohesion
Write a short news article (8–10 sentences) reporting on a real or fictional event. Focus on cohesion: use a clear reference chain for the main subject, appropriate temporal connectives, and at least two different formal connectives. Annotate the cohesive devices.
Your news article (annotated):
Analyse Your Own Extended Writing for Cohesion
Choose the longest piece of writing you have produced in this or any other worksheet. Read it through specifically looking for cohesion. Write a diagnostic report: identify three places where cohesion is strong and three places where it could be improved. Rewrite the three weaker passages.
Strong cohesion (three examples):
Weak cohesion (three examples) and rewrites:
Cohesion in Scientific Writing
Find a paragraph from a scientific report or popular science article. Write 4–5 sentences analysing the cohesive devices: are the connectives formal or informal? How is lexical cohesion used to track a scientific concept through the paragraph? How is pronoun reference used?
Source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Full Cohesion Analysis Essay
Write a short analytical essay (intro + two TEEL paragraphs + conclusion, approximately 300 words) on the cohesive devices used in a published text. Argue that specific cohesive choices reflect the genre, register, or purpose of the text.
Text: ___________________________________________ Your essay:
Cohesion in Literary Fiction
Choose a paragraph from a novel you have read and write 4–5 sentences analysing its cohesion. How does the author use pronoun reference, lexical cohesion, and connectives? How does the cohesion create the sense of a unified narrative voice?
Novel and chosen paragraph: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Create a Cohesion Teaching Resource
Create a one-page teaching resource explaining cohesive devices for a Year 5 student. Include: definitions, examples, and a simple activity. The resource should be clear, visually organised, and genuinely useful.
Your teaching resource:
Cohesion in Multilingual Writing
Write a reflection (4–5 sentences) on how cohesive devices might work differently in different languages. If you know or have studied another language, reflect on how cohesion is expressed in that language compared to English.
Your reflection:
Extended Cohesive Writing Task
Write an extended piece of writing (450–550 words) in any genre — argument, narrative, information text, personal essay. The writing must demonstrate seamless cohesion at all three levels. After writing, annotate twelve specific cohesive devices and explain the function of each.
Your extended piece (annotated):
Cohesion and Audience
Write the same 5–6 sentence paragraph twice, for two different audiences. Version 1: for a specialist academic audience (use formal connectives and dense lexical cohesion). Version 2: for a general audience of Year 5 students (use simple connectives and clear pronoun reference). Annotate both.
Version 1 (academic):
Version 2 (Year 5):
Analyse Cohesion in a Blog Post
Find a blog post or online article on a topic that interests you. Write 4–5 sentences analysing its cohesive devices. How do the connectives and reference devices reflect the informal or semi-formal register of the online format?
Blog or article source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Cohesion Across a Complete Essay
Write a full five-paragraph essay (intro + three body paragraphs + conclusion, approximately 450 words) on any topic. After writing, do a complete cohesion audit: mark all inter-paragraph transitions, check that the thesis is returned to in the conclusion, and ensure every key term is consistent throughout. Write a 3–4 sentence reflection on the overall cohesion quality.
Your essay:
Cohesion audit reflection:
Write a Guide to Cohesion for a Peer
Write a concise guide (6–8 sentences) to cohesive devices for a Year 7 peer who has not studied them. Use clear, precise language, give examples of each device type, and explain why they matter for writing quality.
Your guide:
Peer Editing for Cohesion
Exchange a piece of writing with a family member or friend. Read their writing specifically for cohesion: identify three places where it flows well and three places where it could be improved. Write 4–5 sentences of specific, constructive feedback focused on cohesive devices.
Writer's name: ___________________________________________ Your cohesion feedback:
Final Extended Writing — Full Cohesion Control
Write your most sophisticated piece of writing in this worksheet (500+ words, any genre). The only goal: demonstrate full, conscious, seamless cohesion at all three levels. After writing, annotate fifteen specific cohesive devices.
Your piece (annotated):
Annotated Portfolio Entry
Select the piece of writing from this worksheet you are most proud of. Copy it here, annotate five specific cohesive devices, and write a self-evaluation (4–5 sentences).
Your work (annotated):
Self-evaluation:
Cohesion and Critical Reading
Write a reflection (5–7 sentences) on how studying cohesive devices has changed the way you read. What do you notice now that you did not notice before? Give a specific example from your reading in this worksheet.
Your reflection:
Synthesis: What You Have Learned
Write a final synthesis (8–10 sentences) of what you have learned about cohesive devices and text coherence. What are the three most important insights? How will you apply them in future writing?
Your synthesis:
Cohesion in Historical Texts
Find a paragraph from a historical text — a letter, speech, or document written more than 100 years ago. Write 4–5 sentences analysing its cohesive devices. How do they differ from contemporary cohesive conventions? What has changed about how cohesion is expressed in English?
Text and source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Write Across Two Registers — Full Cohesion
Write the same 200-word piece of writing twice: once in formal academic register and once in informal conversational register. Both versions must be fully cohesive but use different sets of cohesive devices appropriate to each register. Annotate both.
Formal version (annotated):
Informal version (annotated):
Write a Personal Essay with Strong Cohesion
Write a personal essay (400–500 words) on any subject that matters to you. The essay must be not just cohesive but beautifully cohesive — the connections between ideas should feel effortless and natural. After writing, annotate your ten most effective cohesive moves.
Your personal essay (annotated):
Cohesion in Your Future
Think about any career or field that interests you. Write 4–5 sentences about what role cohesion will play in the writing that career requires. What types of cohesive devices will be most important? How will you continue to develop cohesion skills beyond this worksheet?
Career: ___________________________________________ Your response:
Design a Cohesion Reference Card
Design a reference card for cohesive devices that you could use in all future writing tasks. It should include: definitions and examples of all device types, a list of connectives by logical relationship, a reminder of the three levels of cohesion, and a three-step cohesion editing routine.
Your reference card:
A Letter on Cohesion
Write a letter (7–9 sentences) to a student who is frustrated with their writing because it feels 'clunky'. Explain what cohesion is, why it matters, and give three specific pieces of advice for improving it. Write in a warm, encouraging, semi-formal register.
Your letter:
Publish Your Most Cohesive Writing
Choose the most cohesive piece of writing you have produced in this worksheet. Polish it, share it with at least one person, and write a 2–3 sentence introduction explaining what the piece is and why you chose it.
Your piece and introduction:
Who you shared it with:
Comparative Analysis: Cohesion Across Two Essays
Compare the cohesion of two essays you have written — one from this worksheet and one from any other worksheet. Write 5–6 sentences comparing: which uses more varied connectives, which has stronger reference chains, and which overall has better cohesion. Explain what accounts for the difference.
Essay 1: ___________________________________________ Essay 2: ___________________________________________ Your comparison:
Write a Cohesion Analysis of a News Article
Find a quality newspaper or magazine article (at least 300 words). Write a full cohesion analysis: identify the dominant cohesive device types, quote three specific examples with analysis, and evaluate the overall cohesion quality of the article.
Article source: ___________________________________________ Your analysis:
Final Essay — Cohesion as a Writer's Skill
Write a short essay (intro + two TEEL paragraphs + conclusion, approximately 350 words) arguing that: 'Cohesion is not a grammatical technicality — it is one of the most important craft skills a writer can develop.' Use specific examples from your work in this worksheet as evidence.
Your essay:
Reflective Synthesis
Write a final synthesis (8–10 sentences) on what you have learned about cohesive devices and text flow across this entire worksheet. What can you do now that you could not do before? What will you notice differently in everything you read and write from now on?
Your synthesis:
Design a Cohesion Lesson
Design a fifteen-minute lesson on cohesive devices for a Year 5 student. Include: what you would say to introduce the concept, what example text you would use, two activities, and how you would check for understanding.
Your lesson plan:
Write Your Best Paragraph
Write the most cohesive, most analytically powerful, most beautifully written paragraph you can manage. Any topic. Take your time. Revise it. Read it aloud. Revise again. This is the paragraph that shows what you can do.
Your paragraph:
Reflection on the cohesive choices you made:
A Letter to a Future Student of Cohesion
Write a letter (7–9 sentences) to a student who is about to study cohesive devices for the first time. Tell them what to expect, what will click unexpectedly, and what the most practically useful insight from this worksheet is.
Your letter: