有意义的衔接：指代词与逻辑连接词
8 分钟
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.
许多考生以为衔接就是在每句话开头撒一些连接词。考官对此一眼就能看穿：连接词只有在准确点明两个观点之间真实的逻辑关系时才有帮助；指代词也只有在读者能立刻明白它指向什么时才有帮助。"This" 是考试写作中被滥用、也最危险的词。"Governments have cut funding for public transport, which has increased traffic congestion. This shows..."——this 指的是什么？是削减、是拥堵，还是整个局面？如果读者需要停下来猜，这句话就算用了"经典衔接手段"也仍然是衔接失败。解决方法几乎总是一样：把光秃秃的 "this" 换成 "this cut" 或 "this increase"，或者重写句子让主语明确无歧义。
例题讲解
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.
弱版本用了两个"重型"连接词，但都没有点明真实的逻辑关系："Moreover" 本该引出一个分量相近的补充点，但它却引出了一项花费——这是转折，不是并列补充。紧接着 "Furthermore" 又在讲了花费之后立刻加上一个好处，却没有任何转折信号。强版本用了 "even though"（让步）和 "because"（原因）——这些词准确描述了观点之间真实的逻辑：尽管有缺点，人们依然选择这样做，而且是出于一个具体的原因。注意强版本也更短：精准的连接词能让你把三句话压缩成一句，而不损失任何逻辑。
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.
交卷前做两个快速检查。第一，找出文中每一个 "this/that/it/these/those"，确认读者不需要回头重读就能准确指出它替代的是哪个词或哪个从句——如果不能，就加上一个名词（"this policy"、"these results"）或重写句子。第二，找出每一个连接词（however、therefore、in addition、as a result……），问自己：它所声称的逻辑关系是否真的符合前后两句话的内容？"Therefore" 声称第二句是第一句的结果；"however" 声称转折；"in addition" 声称分量相近的补充点。用错连接词比不用更糟，因为它会主动误导读者对你论证结构的理解——而这种结构上的清晰，正是"连贯与衔接"评分标准所衡量的东西。