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English Grade 8
Quarter 3 Module 7
Cohesive Devices

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 I. Cohesive Devices
Use of appropriate cohesive devices in various types of speech

II. Concept Notes

▪ In composing different types of speech, you must consider the different elements
of a good paragraph – good topic sentence, unity, and coherence. Cohesive
devices play a significant role in creating a speech. They connect, link or bridge
your clauses, sentences or paragraphs meaningfully together.

▪ As a writer or speaker, these cohesive devices help you bring out one idea to
another, one sentence to another or even one paragraph to another. They are
signals that help the audience follow your train of thought correctly and figure out
what you want them to understand.

▪ Cohesive devices appear in different categories. Each group guides the reader
to make certain connections or assumptions about the points you are
connecting. Some guide the reader or listener onward and point towards the
"building" of an idea. Others make your reader relate ideas or draw conclusions
from the previous thoughts.

▪ A logical flow of thought from one sentence to another or one paragraph may be
achieved by using the following methods:

1. Use transition words

o These are words or expressions used to signify relationships

between ideas, phrases, sentences or paragraphs. They may be
pronouns, conjunctions or adverbials. By using transition words,
you let the readers or listeners know that a previous idea, phrase,
sentence or paragraph is related to what follows.

Examples:

• In ancient Egypt, when an individual died, the body was

taken to be mummified immediately.

First, a hook was used to remove the brain through the

nostrils. Second, organs were removed through a cut at the
side of the body. These organs were placed in canopic jars
adorned with the heads of Egyptian gods, but the heart was
left in the body so that it could be weighed against a feather
in the afterlife. Next, the body was bathed with a mixture of
wine, water and spices and stuffed with herbs before being
sewn up.

The body was then dried with salt for forty days. It would
later be oiled, stuffed and carefully wrapped in bandages.
Amulets were placed in the bandages to protect the body
from evil spirits. Finally, a mask was placed on the head.

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 The Egyptian mummification process took 70 days to
complete.

Here is a list of commonly used transition words:

Function Transition words Example/s

Firstly, secondly,
First, I prepared all the ingredients
To show sequence first, second, next,
needed. Then I marinated the chicken
then, lastly, finally
in addition,
In addition to helping cancer patients,
To reinforce or add moreover, also,
Keanu Reeves also donated his money
ideas besides,
to charity.
furthermore
There are several activities to choose
for example, for
To give examples from. For example, horseback riding,
instance
wakeboarding or trekking.
as, since, due to, His grades fell because he neglected
To show cause
because his homework.
as a result, The novel coronavirus has spread
therefore, throughout the country, as a result,
To show results
consequently enhanced community quarantine is
hence, so enforced.
alternatively, or, She does not watch TV in the evening.
To show alternatives
instead, otherwise, She reads novels instead.
on the other hand,
Although he knew it was my birthday,
on the contrary,
he didn’t send me a card.
nevertheless,
To show contrast He likes pink and purple, on the other
however,
hand, his sister prefers black and white.
nonetheless, but.
It was tense but it was quiet.
yet, although
To summarize, all
In short, they were expelled from the
To summarize in all, in short,
school.
overall
In conclusion, to To conclude, we need to cut our
To conclude conclude, expenses in half to keep the company
therefore operating.

2. Repeat key words or phrases

o Repeating key words or phrases helps you connect and concentrate
ideas. It also helps the audience remain focused and kept on track.
But this does not mean that you should start your sentences with the
same key words or phrases repeatedly. You may vary the sentence
structure to avoid continuous repetitions.

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 Examples:

• Mummification is the process of preserving the body

after death. Ancient Egyptians practice mummification
throughout most of early history. They believed that in
the afterlife, the soul would reunite with the body and
that only way to do this is to make the body
recognizable. This is why they spent a lot of time for the
mummification process.

• I say to you today, my friends, so even though we face

the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a
dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American
dream.
(Excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream Speech)

3. Use synonyms

o Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning.
They provide you with alternative words to avoid unnecessary
repetition. The use of synonyms helps the audience stay focused on
the idea being presented.

Examples:

• Teenagers experience a great deal of peer pressure

from schoolmates and friends. Because of this, many
young adults manifest signs of severe stress, anxiety or
early depression.

• John Niño felt remorse for the harsh words he has

spoken. The shame made him suffer more than he
thought he would.

4. Use a pronoun reference

o Repetitive use of nouns may sound redundant. Instead of repeating

nouns over and over, use pronouns as an alternative. Pronouns
connect sentences by referring to something previously mentioned.
However, make sure that the pronoun must be kept as close as
possible to the noun it refers to or the reference would be unclear and
confusing.

Examples:

• Knitting is a craft technique that fascinates all ages. It is

a healthy hobby that is meditative, creative and eco-
friendly.

• COVID-19 is an infectious disease that is caused by the

novel coronavirus. It affects people every day. Older
people and those with existing medical conditions or
comorbidities are at higher risk.

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 5. Use parallel structures

o Parallelism is when words or phrases in a sentence have the same

grammatical structure. Sometimes, repeating a sentence pattern
improves readability, keeps ideas tied together and makes it easier to
understand.

Examples:
• Sometimes, repeating a sentence pattern improves
readability, keeps ideas tied together and makes it easier to
understand.

• “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting

what you get.” --Dale
Carnegie

• “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what

we give.” —Winston Churchill

III. Learning Tasks

➢ Learning Task 1
Instructions: Read and answer each question carefully.

1. Which of the following sentences is parallel?

a. To err is human, forgiving is divine.
b. She felt pride, happy and relief.
c. Lhexine bought a bouquet of white roses, pink carnations and yellow tulips.
d. We must either raise revenues or we need to reduce expenses.

2. Which of the following uses a correct pronoun reference?

a. Neither Neil nor John is willing to lend his laptop to us.
b. Neither Neil nor John is willing to lend their laptop to us.
c. The board members are choosing its new chairman.
d. The board members are choosing his new chairman.

3. The club members are voting for their new secretary. Which of the following
does the pronoun “their” refer to?
a. members c. club
b. secretary d. all of these

4. Which of the following sentences uses transition words correctly?

a. Because of a broken wing, this bird can no longer fly.
b. The World Trade Center fell similarly of a terrorist attack.
c. I can play a few musical instruments and the flute, drums and guitar too.
d. The house seemed very dark inside at first it was sunny outside.

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 5. Which of the following makes use of cohesive synonyms?
a. A car was seen leaving the crime scene. The vehicle was chased by a
motorcycle rider.
b. A car was seen leaving the crime scene. It was chased by a motorcycle
rider.
c. A car was seen leaving the crime scene. A motorcycle rider was chasing
a vehicle.
d. A car was seen leaving the crime scene. A vehicle was chased by a
motorcycle rider.

➢ Learning Task 2
Instructions: Complete the given sentences by supplying the missing transition words.

1. We couldn’t call his mother ________ we didn’t have her number.

a. so c. because
b. and d. or

2. _________ they tried their best, they could not complete the project on time.
a. although c. before
b. at last d. consequently

3. The Black Rhino is critically endangered _________ the Cross-River Gorilla.

a. consequently c. so as
b. nevertheless d. earlier

4. Is your foot size 36 ________ 37?

a. and c. but
b. or d. because of

5. We are under general community quarantine __________ the pandemic.

a. because of c. as well as
b. after d. therefore

➢ Learning Task 3
Instructions: Combine the following of sentences to make it cohesive. Use appropriate
cohesive devices.

1. Dexter couldn’t sleep well last night. Dexter was too tired the next morning.
2. She can play the piano. She also plays the guitar. She plays the drums. She
can also play the flute.
3. Smoking is prohibited in the hallway. To spit is also prohibited.
4. Food served at the school canteen is nutritious, budget-friendly and delicious
taste.
5. My cat was hungry. My cat had not eaten since morning.

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IV. Reflection

Instructions: Complete the statement:

I have learned that ______________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________.

V. References

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3A1OrGgVyU
https://www.theschoolrun.com/what-are-cohesion-and-cohesive-devices-in-
writing#:~:text=The%20term%20%27cohesive%20devices%27%20refers,of%20a%20piece%20of%20writing.&text=
Primary%2Dschool%20children%20may%20be,their%20time%20at%20primary%20school.
https://englishpost.org/types-cohesive-devices/
https://www.citadel.edu/root/images/academic_support_center/cohesive%20devices.pdf
http://home.ku.edu.tr/~doregan/Writing/Cohesion.html
http://www.southeastern.edu/acad_research/programs/writing_center/handouts/pdf_handouts/coherence.pdf
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/i-have-a-dream-speech-text_n_809993
https://www.mylearning.org/stories/a-step-by-step-guide-to-egyptian-mummification/220?
http://www.literarydevices.com/parallelism/
http://englishuphfon.weebly.com/practice-using-cohesive-devices.html
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/56c52c8b7d7f749f03864149/parallelism
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5c06d6ba7edde3001b9a06c0/transitional-devices
http://elss.elc.cityu.edu.hk/elss/Resource/Cohesive%20devices/
https://guinlist.wordpress.com/tag/cohesive-devices/
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/56fd8a694cf592080ae8b2b3/vague-pronoun-reference
https://www.marthastewart.com/854324/how-knit?slide=99ee0323-7fc2-41cf-ad7a-323cd566b51a#99ee0323-7fc2-
41cf-ad7a-323cd566b51a
https://www.marthastewart.com/854324/how-knit?slide=99ee0323-7fc2-41cf-ad7a-323cd566b51a#99ee0323-7fc2-
41cf-ad7a-323cd566b51aAnswer
https://www.history.com/topics/civil-rights-movement/i-have-a-dream-speech
https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/mlkdream.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.html
https://www.slideshare.net/atzcatl/transitional-devices-26563010
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.html
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
https://www.slideshare.net/atzcatl/transitional-devices-26563010
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.html
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
https://www.slideshare.net/atzcatl/transitional-devices-26563010
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.html
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
https://www.slideshare.net/atzcatl/transitional-devices-26563010
https://www.slideshare.net/atzcatl/transitional-devices-26563010
http://www.english-for-students.com/Transitional-Devices.html
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/transitions_and_transitional_devices/transitional_devices.html
https://docplayer.net/200728215-Thesis-herbs-are-both-beautiful-and-flavorful-which-makes-them-versatile-plants-
that-both-gardeners-and-chefs-can-enjoy.html
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/conversely-in-contrast-on-the-other-hand.3612218/
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/however-in-contrast-on-the-other-hand.2999201/
https://docplayer.net/200728215-Thesis-herbs-are-both-beautiful-and-flavorful-which-makes-them-versatile-plants-
that-both-gardeners-and-chefs-can-enjoy.html
https://docplayer.net/200728215-Thesis-herbs-are-both-beautiful-and-flavorful-which-makes-them-versatile-plants-
that-both-gardeners-and-chefs-can-enjoy.html
https://www.history.com/topics/civil-rights-movement/i-have-a-dream-speech
https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/mlkdream.html
https://www.bechtel.com/blog/people/january-2021/i-still-have-a-dream/
https://www.elist10.com/different-types-of-
speeches/#:~:text=General%20Types%20of%20Speeches.%20Although%2C%20as%20previously%20stated%2C
https://savvyturtle.com/inspirational-quotes/surround-yourself-with-great-people/
https://wealthtoday.wordpress.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/
https://savvyturtle.com/inspirational-quotes/surround-yourself-with-great-people/
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 https://wealthtoday.wordpress.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/
https://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/physical/chap9mult.html
https://bgflorist.com/en/product/5160/send-a-bouquet-of-white-roses-and-pink-chrysanthemums.
https://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/physical/chap9mult.html
https://www.uh.edu/~jbutler/physical/chap9mult.html
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/criminalinvestigation/chapter/chapter-8-crime-scene-management/
https://pressbooks.bccampus.ca/criminalinvestigation/chapter/chapter-8-crime-scene-management/
https://www.history.com/topics/civil-rights-movement/i-have-a-dream-speech
https://www.hawaii.edu/mauispeech/html/mlkdream.html
https://www.bechtel.com/blog/people/january-2021/i-still-have-a-dream/
https://www.elist10.com/different-types-of-
speeches/#:~:text=General%20Types%20of%20Speeches.%20Although%2C%20as%20previously%20stated%2C

VI. Answer Key

(answers vary)
Learning Task 3

5. a
4. b
3. c
2. a
1. c
Learning Task 2

5. a
4. a
3. a
2. a
1. c
Learning Task 1

Compiled by: Sherrie Jaen D. Villaneza