Cohesion versus coherence

Cohesion and coherence are both important features of texts. While they may sound similar, they are in fact distinct concepts.

Cohesion refers to the devices that can be used to link different parts of a text together, establishing a clear relationship between them. These devices include grammatical elements such as pronouns, conjunctions and transitions, and lexical strategies like the use of synonyms and vocabulary from the same lexical field.

Coherence, on the other hand, refers to the logical and meaningful connections between ideas in a text that make the text understandable to the reader. It’s the “big picture” idea that the text conveys. It’s not about the explicit connections between words or sentences – as in the case of cohesion – but about the overall sense that the text makes.

While both cohesion and coherence are essential for effective communication, they operate on different levels. Cohesion is about the explicit linguistic connections within a text, while coherence is about the larger meaning and logic that a reader or listener takes away from the text.

For a more in-depth explanation read the explanation linked here from the University of Cambridge Faculty of English website, which includes two examples from literature.

Notice how in the case of the second dialogue quoted in the Cambridge text, coherence is maintained as the characters continually discuss the themes of marriage, relationships and personal history.

Looking at the second dialogue example, it’s easy to see how both cohesion and coherence operate. The repeated mention of marriage, good works, and family relationships provides lexical cohesion. The use of pronouns like I, me, his, and he also creates grammatical cohesion, linking different parts of the dialogue to each other.

On the other hand, the first dialogue is coherent because it maintains a consistent focus on the characters’ personal experiences and views on relationships and moral responsibility. Each character’s individual contribution, while sometimes diverging in focus or tone, still contributes to the overall coherent theme of the dialogue. Even without a high degree of cohesion – as seen in the diverging topics between Matthew and Walter – the dialogue nonetheless remains coherent because it consistently revolves around the same broad themes.