Cohesion and Coherence Devices

Coherence and Cohesion is one of the four equally weighted assessment criteria. Many candidates misunderstand it, believing that using more linking words equals a higher score. In reality, overusing connectors is as damaging as underusing them. This lesson explains how to achieve genuine coherence at Band 7+.

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Coherence vs. Cohesion: Understanding the Difference

These terms are related but distinct:

Coherence

Coherence refers to the logical organisation and flow of ideas. A coherent essay makes sense as a whole — each paragraph follows logically from the previous one, and each sentence within a paragraph connects to the one before it.

Coherence is about meaning and logic.

Cohesion

Cohesion refers to the linguistic devices that connect parts of the text — linking words, pronouns, repetition, and other grammatical ties.

Cohesion is about language and connection.

The Relationship
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Coherence = the IDEAS are logically organised
Cohesion  = the LANGUAGE connects them smoothly

You need BOTH. Cohesive devices without logical organisation
produce text that sounds connected but makes no sense.
Logical ideas without cohesive devices produce text that
feels disjointed even when the argument is sound.

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Types of Cohesive Devices