Have you ever read a passage that flows (i.e. has cohesion) but it just … doesn’t make any sense, no matter how many times you read it? You can lexically parse the passage (i.e. makes grammatically sense) but you cannot grasp the meaning? If so, the passage probably lacks coherence.

What is coherence?

According to Joseph Williams², author of Style – Ten Lessons in Clarity & Grace, a passage is coherent when the sentences merge into a unified passage. The passage’s author not only needs to link pairs of individual sentences, but they need to sequence the sentences so that together, the sentences are unified. To this end, Joseph Williams suggests focusing the topics to a limited number of concepts. By doing so, the author helps prevent scattering the reader’s sense of what a passage is globally about. Moreover, Joseph Williams suggests using “connectives”, helper words that link one sentence to the next, words such as: and, but, or, therefore, nonetheless, however, even though, despite.

But it’s … not that simple. Should connectives always be sued? According to Steven Pinker¹, using too many connectives will belabor the obvious and potentially water down the material, patronizing the reader. On the other side of the spectrum, using an insufficient number of connectives can leave the reader puzzled and confused as to how one statement follows from the last.

Wanting to better understand how to achieve a coherence, I read the chapter “Coherence” in Steven Pinker’s book. In the section that follows, I’ll share the 13 of the different ways one sentence can flow to another. These different methods are also known as coherence relations.

Coherence Relations

The thirteen coherence relations in this section fall into one of three categories according to David Hume. These categories are: resemblance, contiguity, cause and effect.

Resemblance

Similarity

Herons live in the northern United States. Herons live in most of Canada.

Typical Connectives:

• and
• similarly
• likewise
• too

Contrast

Example

Herons have one thing in their favor: they are opportunities hunters. Herons have one thing not in their favor: they defend a fishing hole even when its frozen.

Typical Connectives:

• but
• in contrast
• on the other hand
• alternatively

Elaboration

In elaboration, a single event is describe in a generic way then in specific detail.
Example: Herons have one thing in their favor: they are total opportunists

Typical Connectives:

• colon (:)
• that is
• in other words
• which is to say
• also
• furthermore
• in addition
• notice that
• which

Exemplification

Exemplification is when a generalization is followed by one or more examples

Example:

Herons are total opportunists. When the fish are frozen out, they’ll eat other things, including crustaceans, mice, voles, and small birds.

Typical Connectives:

• for example
• for instance
• such as
• including

Generalization

One or more examples followed by a generalization.

Example:

When the fish are frozen out, herons will eat other things, including crustaceans, mice, voles, and small birds. They are total opportunists

Typical Connectives:

• In general
• more general

Exception (generalization first)

Example:

Cape Cod winters are often mild and pleasant. Then there is this winter, the winter that never ends.

Typical connectives:

• However
• on the other hand
• Then there is

Exception (exception first)

Example:

This winter seems like it will never end. Nonetheless, Cape Cod winters are often mild and pleasant.

• Nevertheless
• Nonetheless
• Still

Contiguity

Sequence (before-and-after)

Example:

The cold weather arrives and then the herons head south

Typical Connectives:

• and
• before
• then

Sequence (after-and-before)

Example:

The herons head south when the cold weather arrives

Typical Connectives:

• after
• once
• while
• when

Cause and Effect

Result (cause and affect)

Example:

Young herons are inexperienced, so some of them migrate to Cape Cod.

Typical Connectives:

• and
• therefore
• as a result
• so

Explanation (effect-cause)

Example:

Some herons migrate to Cape Cod, because they are young and inexperienced.

Typical Connectives:

• since
• because
• owing to

Violated Expectation (preventer-effect)

Example:

Herons have a tough time when the ponds freeze over. However, they will
hunt and eat many other things

Typical Connectives:

• But
• while
• however
• nonetheless
• yet

Failed Prevention (effect-preventer)

Example:

Herons will hunt and eat many things in winter, even though the ponds are
frozen over

Typical Connectives:

• Despite
• Even Though

Summary

When editing your own writing, you can use the above typical connectives to help guide the reader, using connectives to signals what logical connections you are trying to implant in their mind.

References