有意義的銜接：指代詞與邏輯連接詞
8 分鐘
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.
許多考生以為銜接就是在每句話開頭撒一些連接詞。考官對此一眼就能看穿：連接詞只有在準確點明兩個觀點之間真實的邏輯關係時才有幫助；指代詞也只有在讀者能立刻明白它指向什麼時才有幫助。"This" 是考試寫作中被濫用、也最危險的詞。"Governments have cut funding for public transport, which has increased traffic congestion. This shows..."——this 指的是什麼？是削減、是壅塞，還是整個局面？如果讀者需要停下來猜，這句話就算用了「經典銜接手段」也仍然是銜接失敗。解決方法幾乎總是一樣：把光禿禿的 "this" 換成 "this cut" 或 "this increase"，或者重寫句子讓主語明確無歧義。
例題講解
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.
弱版本用了兩個「重型」連接詞，但都沒有點明真實的邏輯關係："Moreover" 本該引出一個分量相近的補充點，但它卻引出了一項花費——這是轉折，不是並列補充。緊接著 "Furthermore" 又在講了花費之後立刻加上一個好處，卻沒有任何轉折信號。強版本用了 "even though"（讓步）和 "because"（原因）——這些詞準確描述了觀點之間真實的邏輯：儘管有缺點，人們依然選擇這樣做，而且是出於一個具體的原因。注意強版本也更短：精準的連接詞能讓你把三句話壓縮成一句，而不損失任何邏輯。
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.
交卷前做兩個快速檢查。第一，找出文中每一個 "this/that/it/these/those"，確認讀者不需要回頭重讀就能準確指出它替代的是哪個詞或哪個子句——如果不能，就加上一個名詞（"this policy"、"these results"）或重寫句子。第二，找出每一個連接詞（however、therefore、in addition、as a result……），問自己：它所聲稱的邏輯關係是否真的符合前後兩句話的內容？"Therefore" 聲稱第二句是第一句的結果；"however" 聲稱轉折；"in addition" 聲稱分量相近的補充點。用錯連接詞比不用更糟，因為它會主動誤導讀者對你論證結構的理解——而這種結構上的清晰，正是「連貫與銜接」評分標準所衡量的東西。