Coherence and paragraphing for band 7+: learn

In this lesson you will

Write paragraphs with one controlling idea and remove sentences that break their unity
Use reference words that point clearly to one antecedent, within and across paragraphs
Control thematic progression so that each sentence starts from information the reader already has
Plan an essay in which the thesis, topic sentences and conclusion form one clear line of argument

Before you start

Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.

→Have you ever read a text in which every sentence made sense but you could not follow the whole? What was missing?
→How do you decide when to start a new paragraph?

Coherence and cohesion

Earlier in this course you worked on cohesion: the visible links between sentences, such as reference words, summary nouns and lexical chains. Coherence is the bigger picture: whether a reader can follow the logic of the whole text. An essay can be full of linking words and still be incoherent if its paragraphs wander or its ideas appear in a random order.

The public IELTS band descriptors for Coherence and Cohesion show the difference. At band 7, information and ideas are logically organised, there is a clear progression throughout the response, and paragraphing is generally used effectively. At band 8, the message can be followed with ease and paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately. At band 9, cohesion very rarely attracts attention. In other words, the best-organised essays do not feel full of signposts: the logic itself carries the reader.

Paragraph unity

A unified paragraph develops one controlling idea, stated or clearly implied in its topic sentence. Every other sentence explains, supports or qualifies that idea.

Write a predictive topic sentence. There are many effects of tourism predicts nothing. Tourism can place a heavy strain on a city's infrastructure tells the reader exactly what the paragraph will show.
Test every sentence. Does it develop this paragraph's controlling idea? If it introduces a new idea, it belongs in another paragraph, or nowhere.
Start a new paragraph when the controlling idea changes, not because a paragraph looks long. In Task 2, four or five paragraphs is typical, with one main idea per body paragraph.
Avoid one-sentence paragraphs. A single sentence cannot develop an idea, and a series of them makes an essay look like a list.

Thematic progression: how sentences pick up from each other

The beginning of an English sentence (its theme) usually tells the reader what the sentence is about and connects it to what came before; the end of the sentence carries the new information. Coherent writing controls these themes so that the reader always knows where they are. Two patterns do most of the work:

Constant theme: several sentences start from the same topic. Electric buses are quieter than diesel ones. They also produce no exhaust fumes in the street. They are, however, more expensive to buy. This suits describing one thing from several angles.
Linear theme: the new information at the end of one sentence becomes the theme of the next. Many cities now charge drivers to enter the centre. This charge* is used to fund public transport. Better public transport, in turn, gives drivers a realistic alternative.* This suits chains of cause and effect.

Problems arise when a sentence starts from something unexpected, so that the reader cannot see how it connects. A quick test: read only the first four or five words of each sentence in a paragraph. If those openings tell a logical story, the paragraph is probably coherent.

Reference that works, and reference that doesn't
Problem	Unclear	Clear
This could refer to two ideas	Governments are taxing sugary drinks and funding sports clubs. This has been very effective.	Governments are taxing sugary drinks and funding sports clubs. The tax has been particularly effective.
They could refer to two plural nouns	Parents often blame teachers when they are under pressure.	When parents are under pressure, they often blame teachers.
The antecedent is too far away	(New paragraph) This is why it should be restricted.	(New paragraph) The influence of online advertising on children is the main reason why such advertising should be restricted.
The latter with more than two items	Cars, buses and trains all have advantages, but the latter is the safest.	Cars, buses and trains all have advantages, but trains are the safest.
A bare this opening a paragraph	This also affects families.	The shortage of affordable housing also affects families.

One line of argument: thesis, topic sentences, conclusion

Thesis: Although online learning offers flexibility, I believe that schools should remain mainly face-to-face, because classrooms build social skills and allow teachers to respond to difficulties immediately.
Body 1 topic sentence: The most important function of a physical school is arguably the social education it provides.
Body 2 topic sentence: Face-to-face teaching also allows teachers to notice and respond to difficulties far more quickly than a screen does.
Conclusion: Online options are therefore a useful supplement, but they cannot replace the social and academic benefits of the classroom.

The task

Some people think that cities should spend more money on public parks and green spaces. Others believe the money would be better spent on housing. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

A paragraph that is hard to follow (about band 6)

Green spaces are important for cities. Moreover, many people live in small flats. Housing is also a problem in many cities, and it is expensive. Parks are good for health because people can exercise there. Furthermore, this is good for children. Trees also reduce air pollution. In addition, they make cities cooler in summer. Therefore, cities should spend money on parks.

The same ideas, organised (band 8 level)

Those who favour investing in parks argue that green space is not a luxury but a basic condition of healthy city life. For residents of small flats in particular, a nearby park may be the only place where they can exercise, relax or let their children play safely outdoors. Regular access to such spaces encourages physical activity, which in turn reduces the risk of conditions associated with inactivity. Parks also benefit those who never use them: their trees absorb some air pollutants and lower summer temperatures, effects that are likely to matter more as cities grow denser and summers become hotter.

How a strong writer does it

Unity: the band 6 version jumps to housing costs in its third sentence. That idea belongs in the paragraph about housing, so the revision removes it.
A predictive topic sentence: green space is not a luxury but a basic condition of healthy city life tells the reader what the paragraph will show, and Those who favour… makes clear that this is one of the two views, as the question requires.
Thematic progression: read the sentence openings: Those who favour investing in parks → For residents of small flats → Regular access to such spaces → Parks also. Each one starts from known information. The third sentence opens with such spaces, which picks up a nearby park from the sentence before.
Clear reference: such spaces, those who never use them, their trees and effects that… each point to one thing. Compare the unclear this is good for children in the original.
Fewer signposts: Moreover, Furthermore, In addition and Therefore have gone. The logic (who benefits, how, and who else benefits) now carries the reader, with in turn and also where they genuinely help.

Matching

Match topic sentences to paragraphs

A city plans to close its main shopping street to cars. Match each paragraph body to the topic sentence that should introduce it. Two topic sentences are not used.

ACar ownership has risen steadily in most countries.
BA further benefit is a cleaner and quieter environment.
CPedestrianisation can make a shopping street far more attractive to visitors.
DHowever, the change would require careful planning to avoid excluding some groups.
EMany people now prefer to shop online.

1.…Without cars, shoppers can walk and linger freely, and cafés can put tables outside. In many towns that have made this change, the high street has become a place people visit for pleasure rather than simply pass through.
2.…Delivery vans would need access at fixed times, and disabled visitors who rely on cars would need parking nearby. Without such arrangements, some shops could lose customers.
3.…Removing traffic would lower noise and exhaust fumes in the busiest part of the city, which benefits both pedestrians and the people who live above the shops.

Put in order

Essay map: order the key sentences

These are the two opening sentences of an essay, followed by the first sentence of each later paragraph. Put them in order so that the essay forms one line of argument.

1In many countries, a growing number of employers now allow staff to choose their own working hours.
2Employers also stand to gain, since staff who control their own schedules are often more motivated and less likely to leave.
3The main risk, that colleagues are never available at the same time, can be managed with a few fixed hours each day.
4Flexible hours, then, are worth adopting, as long as they are combined with a small amount of shared time.
5For employees, the clearest advantage is the freedom to fit work around family and health needs.
6In my view, flexible hours benefit both employees and employers, provided that teams agree on some shared core time.

Writing task

Your turn: introduction and two body paragraphs

Plan for 4 minutes: write your thesis, then one topic sentence per body paragraph that follows from it. Write for about 14 minutes and use the last 2 minutes for the sentence-opening test.

Essay question: In many countries, more and more people are choosing to work for themselves rather than for an employer. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?

Write the introduction and TWO body paragraphs of an answer (at least 200 words; no conclusion is needed). Make every reference word clear, and check that the first few words of each sentence show a logical progression.

Write at least 200 words · about 20 minutes

20:000 / 200 words

Save words to review them later with flashcards.

coherence
the quality of being logical and easy to follow as a whole
“Good paragraphing improves the coherence of an essay.”
controlling idea
the main point that a whole paragraph develops
“Every sentence should support the paragraph's controlling idea.”
topic sentence
the sentence, usually the first, that states the main point of a paragraph
“A predictive topic sentence tells the reader what to expect.”
antecedent
the word or phrase that a pronoun or reference word refers back to
“If “this” has two possible antecedents, the reader may be confused.”
signpost
a word or phrase that shows the reader how a text is organised
“Too many signposts can make an essay sound mechanical.”
progression
movement forward in a logical sequence
“The essay shows a clear progression from problem to solution.”
autonomy
the freedom to make your own decisions
“Many freelancers value autonomy more than a high salary.”
self-employment
working for yourself rather than for an employer
“Self-employment has grown in the creative industries.”
accommodate
to adapt to or provide for someone's needs
“Few employers can accommodate such irregular hours.”
fluctuate
to change frequently in amount or level
“A freelancer's income can fluctuate from month to month.”
bargaining power
the ability to influence the terms of an agreement
“Couriers have little bargaining power over their rates.”

Key points

Coherence is the logic of the whole text; cohesion is the set of links between sentences.
Each paragraph develops one controlling idea, introduced by a predictive topic sentence.
Make every reference point to one clear antecedent, especially at the start of a paragraph.
Control sentence openings: a constant theme for one topic, a linear theme for chains of cause and effect.
Plan the thesis and topic sentences together so that the essay reads as one line of argument.

Check your answers in the practice exercises to record a score.

Up next · Writing C1 Advanced

Grammatical range in essays

Go to lesson

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Coherence and cohesion

Paragraph unity

Thematic progression: how sentences pick up from each other

The task

A paragraph that is hard to follow (about band 6)

The same ideas, organised (band 8 level)

How a strong writer does it

Paragraph unity

Match topic sentences to paragraphs

Clear reference and progression

Essay map: order the key sentences

Your turn: introduction and two body paragraphs

Key points

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Coherence and cohesion

Paragraph unity

Thematic progression: how sentences pick up from each other

The task

A paragraph that is hard to follow (about band 6)

The same ideas, organised (band 8 level)

How a strong writer does it

Paragraph unity

Match topic sentences to paragraphs

Clear reference and progression

Essay map: order the key sentences

Your turn: introduction and two body paragraphs

Key points