Academic Paragraph Structure, Coherence, and Cohesion

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the structure, essential qualities, organizational patterns, supporting types, and cohesive devices of academic paragraphs.

Academic Paragraph

A group of related sentences that develops one main idea, in which each sentence has a specific function that contributes to the paragraph's purpose.

Unity

An essential paragraph quality where all sentences develop the same central idea, ensuring the paragraph remains focused.

Coherence

An essential paragraph quality where ideas are arranged in a logical, understandable, and predictable order so the reasoning is easy to follow.

Cohesion

An essential paragraph quality where sentences are connected through language features so they feel linked rather than isolated.

Topic Sentence

A sentence that introduces the main subject of the paragraph and indicates the specific direction in which the writer will develop it.

Topic

The element of a topic sentence that tells the reader what the paragraph is about.

Controlling Idea

The element of a topic sentence that states the writer's specific point about the topic, limits its scope, and determines which supporting details belong in the paragraph.

Supporting Sentences

Sentences that develop the controlling idea by answering questions such as why the claim is reasonable, how it works, what it means, or providing evidence and examples.

Explanation (Type of Support)

A form of support that clarifies how or why the main claim is true, using phrases such as "This occurs because…", "In other words…", or "This means that…".

Example (Type of Support)

A form of support that makes an abstract idea specific and easier to understand, typically signaled by phrases such as "For example…", "For instance…", or "One illustration is…".

Evidence (Type of Support)

A form of support that backs up a claim using information from a reliable source, study, observation, or set of data, signaled by phrases like "According to…", "The findings indicate…", or "The data show…".

Comparison (Type of Support)

A form of support that clarifies an idea by showing a similarity or difference, often introduced by words such as "Similarly…", "In contrast…", "Unlike…", or "Whereas…".

Interpretation (Type of Support)

A form of support that explains what an example or piece of evidence means and why it connects to the paragraph's main argument, using phrases such as "This suggests that…" or "This finding is important because…".

Concluding Sentence

A final sentence that brings the paragraph to a clear close by restating or synthesizing its main point and showing its significance without introducing a new topic.

Linking Sentence

A final sentence that closes the current discussion while creating a logical connection to the next paragraph.

The One Question Test

A revision test for paragraph unity that asks: "Does this sentence explain, support, illustrate, or conclude the main point?" If not, the sentence should be removed, moved, or revised.

General-to-Specific Pattern

An organizational pattern best used for moving from a main claim to details and examples, using signals such as "in particular," "for example," and "specifically."

Chronological Pattern

An organizational pattern best used for explaining stages or events in time order, using signals such as "first," "next," "after that," and "finally."

Cause-and-Effect Pattern

An organizational pattern best used for explaining reasons, results, or consequences, using signals such as "because," "therefore," "as a result," and "consequently."

Comparison-and-Contrast Pattern

An organizational pattern best used for showing similarities and differences, using signals such as "similarly," "however," "in contrast," and "whereas."

Order-of-Importance Pattern

An organizational pattern best used for moving from a less important to a more important point, or the reverse, using signals such as "more importantly," "the main reason," and "above all."

Known-to-New Principle

A coherence technique where a sentence begins with recognizable information from the preceding sentence and ends with a new idea, which then serves as the starting point for the following sentence.

Cohesive Device

A language feature—such as reference, key-term repetition, related vocabulary, transitions, or parallel structures—used to connect sentences and make logical relationships visible.

Reference (Cohesion)

A cohesive device that points back to a previously mentioned person, object, or idea using words such as "he," "she," "it," "they," "this," or "these."

Antecedent (Referent)

The noun or noun phrase to which a reference word points.

Key-Term Repetition

A cohesive device that repeats an important academic word or phrase across sentences to maintain the paragraph's focus without copying every word.

Related Vocabulary (Lexical Chain)

A cohesive device that creates a chain of connection by using words from the same topic area (e.g., "draft" → "revision" → "edit" → "final version").

Transition

A word or phrase that explicitly indicates the logical relationship between ideas (such as addition, contrast, cause/result, example, or sequence).

Parallel Structure

A cohesive device that presents related ideas, series of items, or actions in the same grammatical form (e.g., "adding evidence, removing irrelevant details, and clarifying links").