Cohesion with meaning: reference words and logical connectors
8 min
Many test-takers believe cohesion means sprinkling linking words at the start of every sentence. Examiners see through this immediately: a connector only helps if it names the real relationship between two ideas, and a reference word only helps if a reader can instantly tell what it points to. "This" is the most overused and most dangerous word in exam writing. "Governments have cut funding for public transport, which has increased traffic congestion. This shows..." — this what? The cut, the congestion, or the whole situation? If a reader has to pause and guess, the sentence has failed at cohesion even though it used a classic "cohesive device". The fix is nearly always the same: replace a bare "this" with "this cut" or "this increase", or rewrite the sentence so the subject is unambiguous.
Worked example
Weak: "Some students choose to study abroad. Moreover, it can be expensive. Furthermore, it is a valuable experience." Strong: "Some students choose to study abroad even though it can be expensive, because the experience often outweighs the cost."
The weak version uses two heavy connectors, but neither names a real relationship: "Moreover" should add a similar-weight point, yet it introduces a cost — a contrast, not an addition. "Furthermore" then adds a benefit right after a cost with no signal that a contrast is happening. The strong version uses "even though" (concession) and "because" (reason) — words that describe the actual logic connecting the ideas: despite a drawback, people still choose this option, for a specific reason. Notice the strong version is also shorter. Precise connectors let you compress three sentences into one without losing any logic.
Before you submit an essay, run two quick checks. First, find every "this/that/it/these/those" and confirm a reader could point to the exact word or clause it replaces without re-reading twice — if not, add a noun ("this policy", "these results") or rewrite. Second, find every connector (however, therefore, in addition, as a result...) and ask: does the relationship it names actually match what the two sentences say? "Therefore" claims the second sentence is a consequence of the first; "however" claims a contrast; "in addition" claims a second, similar-weight point. Using the wrong one is worse than using none, because it actively misleads the reader about your argument's structure — and that structural clarity is exactly what coherence and cohesion scoring measures.