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Coherence
How could this paragraph be revised to read more smoothly?
The year 1968 was a year of crisis. The Vietnam war escalated dramatically. There were many more civilian and military deaths. Antiwar protestors mobilized and conflicts with the police sometimes became violent. Over 50,000 antiwar protesters marched on the Pentagon, and on college campuses, antiwar protesters often clashed with police brought the assassinations of two powerful leaders—Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy.
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2. Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
This paragraph now reads smoothly because it uses transitions, pronouns, and synonyms to establish coherence.
The year1968 was a year of crisis. In Vietnam, the war escalated dramatically and resulted in many more civilian and military deaths. At home, antiwar protestors mobilized and conflicts with the police sometimes became violent. Over 50,000 peace activists marched on the Pentagon, and on college campuses, they often clashed with police. Perhaps worst of all, 1968 brought the assassinations of two powerful leaders—Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy.
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3. Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
An essay or paragraph is coherent when the parts fit together logically and the ideas are connected.
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4. Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
An essay or paragraph is coherent when the parts fit together logically and the ideas are connected.
Coherence can be achieved by
using transitional words and phrases
repeating similar words throughout
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5. MENU
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Coherence
The following techniques can be used to create coherence. Click on the technique you want to explore.
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Effective Transitions
Pronouns
Synonyms
Repetition
Rephrasing
Consistent Word Choice

6. Effective Transitions
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Coherence
Effective Transitions
Transitional words and phrases such as these can make the relationship between ideas clear. i
Sequence
Cause/Effect
Comparison/Contrast
Degree of Importance
first
because
however
most important
third
consequently
unlike
worst
last
since
yet
main
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7. Effective Transitions
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Coherence
Effective Transitions
Many people think downhill skiing and cross-country skiing are similar. They require specialized ski gear, athletic fitness, and endurance. They require different skills. A downhill skier travels at high speed down steep slopes and must react quickly to sudden turns and obstacles. The skier works with gravity. The cross-country skier travels over fairly level trails at a relatively slow speed. The skier works against gravity.
How might transitions help to connect the ideas in this paragraph?
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8. Effective Transitions
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Effective Transitions
Many people think downhill skiing and cross-country skiing are similar. However, although both require specialized ski gear, athletic fitness, and endurance, each requires different skills. For example, a downhill skier travels at high speed down steep slopes and must react quickly to sudden turns and obstacles. The skier works with gravity. In contrast, the cross-country skier travels over fairly level trails at a relatively slow speed. The skier works against gravity.
The transitions help to connect the ideas in this paragraph. They tie the paragraph together by showing how the two kinds of skiing are alike and different.
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9. Pronouns Coherence MENU EXIT
Pronouns can keep ideas connected and the writing concise.
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10. Pronouns Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Pronouns can keep ideas connected and the writing concise.
The huge bull elephant stepped forward, shaking its mammoth trunk and tusks violently, threateningly. The chain rattled, and then it broke. The other elephants hung back. They seemed to be waiting to see what would happen. Unlike the bull, these were usually docile animals, but they were nervous now, and dangerous.
Where are the pronouns in this paragraph?
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11. Pronouns Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Pronouns can keep ideas connected and the writing concise.
What ideas do these pronouns connect to?
The huge bull elephant stepped forward, shaking its mammoth trunk and tusks violently, threateningly. The chain rattled, and then it broke. The other elephants hung back. They seemed to be waiting to see what would happen. Unlike the bull, these were usually docile animals, but they were nervous now, and dangerous.
Click to see the connected ideas

12. Pronouns Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Pronouns can keep ideas connected and the writing concise.
What ideas do these pronouns connect to?
The huge bull elephant stepped forward, shaking its mammoth trunk and tusks violently, threateningly. The chain rattled, and then it broke. The other elephants hung back. They seemed to be waiting to see what would happen. Unlike the bull, these were usually docile animals, but they were nervous now, and dangerous.
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13. Synonyms Coherence MENU EXIT
Using a series of synonyms or closely related words helps hold ideas together.
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14. Synonyms Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
They met with no more adventures that night, moving quietly along the edges of the fields under the dim light of a quarter moon. The half-darkness was full of sounds and movement. Once Acorn put up a plover, which flew around them, calling shrilly, until at length they crossed a bank and left it behind. Soon after, somewhere near them, they heard the unceasing bubbling of a nightjar—a peaceful sound, without menace, which died gradually away as they pushed on.
—Richard Adams, Watership Down
Look for synonyms and near synonyms in the following paragraph.
Click to see the related words

15. Synonyms Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
They met with no more adventures that night, moving quietly along the edges of the fields under the dim light of a quarter moon. The half-darkness was full of sounds and movement. Once Acorn put up a plover, which flew around them, calling shrilly, until at length they crossed a bank and left it behind. Soon after, somewhere near them, they heard the unceasing bubbling of a nightjar—a peaceful sound, without menace, which died gradually away as they pushed on.
—Richard Adams, Watership Down
Look for synonyms and near synonyms in the following paragraph.
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16. Repetition Coherence MENU EXIT
Repeating a word or phrase throughout a piece of writing is a strategy for achieving coherence. This technique helps a writer emphasize a point and establish a rhythm.
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17. Repetition Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Repeating a word or phrase throughout a piece of writing is a strategy for achieving coherence. This technique helps a writer emphasize a point and establish a rhythm.
God made the grass, the air and the rain; and the grass,
the air and the rain made the Irish; and the Irish turned the
grass, the air and the rain back into God.
—Sean O’Faolain, “Ireland”
Click to see the repetition

18. Repetition Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Repeating a word or phrase throughout a piece of writing is a strategy for achieving coherence. This technique helps a writer emphasize a point and establish a rhythm.
God made the grass, the air and the rain; and the grass,
the air and the rain made the Irish; and the Irish turned the
grass, the air and the rain back into God.
—Sean O’Faolain, “Ireland”
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19. Rephrasing Coherence MENU EXIT
Coherence between paragraphs can be achieved by taking a phrase that occurred near the end of one paragraph and rephrasing it near the beginning of the following paragraph.
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20. Rephrasing Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Coherence between paragraphs can be achieved by taking a phrase that occurred near the end of one paragraph and rephrasing it near the beginning of the following paragraph.
What is the rephrased idea in the second paragraph?
. . . Harry knew it must be that dark and unknown beast who haunted the forest, and whom he had unwittingly disturbed in
its lair two weeks ago. Now it followed him.
As Harry sped up, this creature out of his wildest nightmares
kept pace with him.
Click to see the rephrased idea

21. Rephrasing Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Coherence between paragraphs can be achieved by taking a phrase that occurred near the end of one paragraph and rephrasing it near the beginning of the following paragraph.
What is the rephrased idea in the second paragraph?
. . . Harry knew it must be that dark and unknown beast who
haunted the forest, and whom he had unwittingly disturbed in
its lair two weeks ago. Now it followed him.
As Harry sped up, this creature out of his wildest nightmares
kept pace with him.

22. Rephrasing Coherence PREVIOUS MENU EXIT
Coherence between paragraphs can be achieved by taking a phrase that occurred near the end of one paragraph and rephrasing it near the beginning of the following paragraph.
What is the rephrased idea in the second paragraph?
. . . Harry knew it must be that dark and unknown beast who
haunted the forest, and whom he had unwittingly disturbed in
its lair two weeks ago. Now it followed him.
As Harry sped up, this creature out of his wildest nightmares
kept pace with him. i
beast =
creature
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23. Consistent Word Choice
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Coherence
Consistent Word Choice
Coherence can be achieved by choosing words that help create a single mood or tone throughout the writing.
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24. Consistent Word Choice
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Coherence
Consistent Word Choice
Coherence can be achieved by choosing words that help create a single mood or tone throughout the writing.
In this paragraph, which words help create a coherent mood?
The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have difficulty in detecting the cheat His vesture was dabbed in blood
—Edgar Allan Poe, “The Masque of the Red Death”
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25. Consistent Word Choice
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Coherence
Consistent Word Choice
Coherence can be achieved by choosing words that help create a single mood or tone throughout the writing.
Notice how these words all reinforce a somber, ominous mood.
The figure was tall and gaunt, and shrouded from head to foot in the habiliments of the grave. The mask which concealed the visage was made so nearly to resemble the countenance of a stiffened corpse that the closest scrutiny must have difficulty in detecting the cheat His vesture was dabbed in blood
—Edgar Allan Poe, “The Masque of the Red Death”
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