Cohesion and Coherence in IELTS Writing

Cohesion and coherence in IELTS writing is crucial if you wish to elevate your essays however many candidates fall into the lure of overcomplicating their essays by utilizing advanced linking phrases and unnecessarily twisted sentence constructions.

This information will present you find out how to enhance the circulate and readability of your essay utilizing easy however efficient strategies.

Understanding Cohesion and Coherence

Within the IELTS Writing check, cohesion refers to how effectively your concepts hyperlink collectively, whereas coherence is how clear and logical your argument is. These two standards account for 25% of your writing rating. Mastering them would not require fancy vocabulary or difficult sentences; as a substitute, it’s about making your concepts circulate easily from one level to the subsequent.

On the finish of the day, guaranteeing the examiner understands what you’re saying is extra vital than the quantity of advanced sentence constructions you handle to work into your solutions. 

Methods to Enhance Cohesion

Use Linking Phrases Sparingly and Successfully

Linking phrases are vital, however too many could make your writing really feel compelled. As an alternative, use them when wanted to information the reader from one concept to a different. A few of the most helpful (and easy) linking phrases embrace:

• For including info:
  “Furthermore,” “Additionally,” “As well as”
• For contrasting concepts:
  “Nonetheless,” “Alternatively,” “In distinction”
• For giving examples:
  “For instance,” “As an illustration,” “corresponding to”
• For concluding:
  “In conclusion,” “To sum up,” “Total”

Right here you can find an inventory of extra frequent transition phrases.

Tip: Keep away from utilizing too many advanced linking phrases like “However” or “Nonetheless” until you’re totally assured of their utilization. Easy phrases usually do the job extra successfully. 

Necessary observe:

Overusing simplistic transition phrases could make your writing look mechanical and restrict your Coherence and Cohesion rating to band 6. So it is about getting the proper steadiness to your stage and the band you want. We have now a helpful video explaining find out how to handle cohesive phrases and phrases for a band 7 and up.

Use Pronouns and Synonyms for Cohesion

Pronouns and synonyms assist to keep away from repetition and make your writing extra cohesive. For instance:

• As an alternative of repeating “The federal government” a number of instances, you might alternate with the pronoun “It” or “This establishment.”
• Use synonyms to differ your language. If you happen to point out “world warming” later you’ll be able to consult with it as “local weather change.”

Tip: Make sure that the synonyms you utilize are correct and don’t change the which means.

Use Demonstratives

Demonstratives are this, that, these, and these. They’re once more an effective way to enhance cohesion and coherence in IELTS writing as you’ll be able to refer again to what has been stated with out repeating every thing once more.

• Folks spend hours of their time on-line, chatting and in boards. Though this may be helpful, it’s actually not the identical as actual interplay with human beings.
• The repatriation of historic objects and artefacts to their international locations of origin has sparked intense debates. In my view, these objects must be returned.

Observe: It ought to at all times be clear what the demonstrative is referring again to.

Methods to Enhance Coherence

Construction Your Essay Clearly

A well-structured essay makes it simpler for the reader to comply with your argument. Observe the fundamental IELTS essay construction:

• Introduction: Paraphrase the query and introduce your details/opinion.
• Physique Paragraph 1: Introduce your first level(s), present an evidence, and assist it with examples.
• Physique Paragraph 2: Introduce your second level(s), present an evidence, and assist it with examples.
• Conclusion: Summarise your key factors and restate your place.

Tip: Preserve every paragraph centered on one predominant concept. Keep away from squeezing too many factors right into a single paragraph, as this will confuse the reader.

Use Subject Sentences

That is one thing a variety of candidates truly neglect to do as soon as they begin writing and get caught up in their very own rambling. Every physique paragraph ought to start with a subject sentence that introduces the primary concept of the paragraph. This helps the reader perceive what to anticipate and improves coherence. For instance:

• Dangerous subject sentence: “Many individuals suppose that local weather change is a matter.”
• Good subject sentence: “One of many key causes for local weather change is the extreme burning of fossil fuels.”

Tip: All the time comply with your subject sentence with supporting info and examples.

Keep on with Your Degree

It’s frequent to suppose that utilizing prolonged sentences will impress the examiner. Nonetheless, as famous above with utilizing transitions for cohesion, to enhance cohesion and coherence in IELTS writing it’s often finest to stay to the extent of language that you just’re snug with.

Trying very superior constructions with out with the ability to use them confidently can result in errors, which can decrease your rating. As an alternative, deal with writing clearly and precisely.

Sentence size: Keep away from packing too many concepts into one sentence if it makes your writing unclear. Breaking advanced sentences into two less complicated sentences is usually more practical. As an illustration:

• Complicated sentence (for band 8 or 9): “Though local weather change is a critical subject that has garnered vital consideration worldwide, many governments have but to take significant motion.”
• Simplified model (for decrease bands): “Local weather change is a critical subject that has gained world consideration. Nonetheless, many governments haven’t taken significant motion.”

Summing Up

Bettering cohesion and coherence in IELTS writing takes time and a variety of observe. Begin by writing brief essays and reviewing how effectively your concepts circulate from one sentence and paragraph to the subsequent. You too can use pattern IELTS essays to see how they preserve clear, logical connections all through. These steps will enable you obtain a better rating with out overcomplicating your writing.

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