Coherence in Paragraph Writing Little Brown Handbook

Building a bridge Coherence means that the reader is able to clearly follow the flow of words and ideas. Coherence means that the reader is able to clearly follow the flow of words and ideas. This is kind of like crossing a river or stream using stepping stones. This is kind of like crossing a river or stream using stepping stones.

Topic Sentences A topic sentence is usually stated in the first sentence of the paragraph. It needs to be general, and it should anticipate the contents of the paragraph A topic sentence is usually stated in the first sentence of the paragraph. It needs to be general, and it should anticipate the contents of the paragraph

Logical Bridges Ideas are organized logically Ideas are organized logically –Specific – general –General – specific –Simple – Complex –Chronologically – earliest to latest –Directionally: left-right, outside to inside, foreground to background

Verbal Bridges If there is no logical connection between sentences in a paragraph, then be sure to include a “verbal bridge”. If there is no logical connection between sentences in a paragraph, then be sure to include a “verbal bridge”. Verbal Bridges can be: Verbal Bridges can be: –Pronouns –Transition and connector words –Old to new structure –Emphasizing ideas

Verbal Bridges - Pronouns After dark, on the warrenlike streets of Brooklyn where I live, I often see women who fear the worst from me. They seem to have set their faces on neutral, and with their purse straps strung across their chests bandolier-style, they forge ahead as though bracing themselves against being tackled. I understand, of course, that the danger they perceive is not a hallucination. Women are particularly vulnerable to street violence, and young black males are drastically overrepresented among the perpetrators of that violence. Yet these truths are no solace against the kind of alienation that comes of being ever the suspect, a fearsome entity with whom pedestrians avoid making eye contact.

Verbal Bridges – Transition Words Medical science has succeeded in identifying the hundreds of viruses that can cause the common cold. It has discovered the most effective means of prevention. One person transmits the cold viruses to another most often by hand. An infected person covers his mouth to cough. He picks up the telephone. His daughter picks up the telephone. She rubs her eyes. She has a cold. It spreads. To avoid colds, people should wash their hands often and keep their hands away form their faces.

Medical science has thus succeeded in identifying the hundreds of viruses that can cause the common cold. It has also discovered the most effective means of prevention. One person transmits the cold viruses to another most often by hand. For instance, an infected person covers his mouth to cough. Then he picks up the telephone. Half an hour later, his daughter picks up the same telephone. Immediately afterward, she rubs her eyes. Within a few days she, too, has a cold. And thus it spreads. To avoid colds, therefore, people should wash their hands often and keep their hands away form their faces.

Verbal Bridges - old to new structures BETWEEN SENTENCES At the beginning of each new sentence there is a pronoun which connects us to the previous sentence. At the beginning of each new sentence there is a pronoun which connects us to the previous sentence. –In 1885, journalist Owen Wister moved west to Wyoming. There he found the material he needed to write his most famous novel, The Virginian. This book is the first of a new genre: the horse-opera novel.

Verbal Bridges - old to new structures Within Sentences –place the familiar information at the beginning Lincoln's claim that the Civil War was God's punishment of both North and South for slavery appears in the last part of the speech. Lincoln's claim that the Civil War was God's punishment of both North and South for slavery appears in the last part of the speech. In the last part of the speech, Lincoln claims that God gave the Civil War to both North and South as punishment for slavery. In the last part of the speech, Lincoln claims that God gave the Civil War to both North and South as punishment for slavery.

Verbal Bridges – important words Place important words at the end of a sentence to emphasize them. Place important words at the end of a sentence to emphasize them. This steel is principally used for making razors because of its hardness. This steel is principally used for making razors because of its hardness. Because of its hardness, this steel is principally used for making razors.

Verbal Bridges – Transition and Connector Words These words do not have a grammatical function within the sentence. They serve to connect and organize ideas. These words do not have a grammatical function within the sentence. They serve to connect and organize ideas. Transitions and Connectors Transitions and Connectors Transitions and Connectors Transitions and Connectors