Assessing Coherence and cohesion

Coherence and cohesion assesses these aspects of your writing:

The organisation of ideas into paragraphs and within paragraphs
The use of cohesive devices (for example linking phrases and pronoun references)

As you saw in Task response, the higher band will only be selected if your essay fits all points in the band descriptor.

Band 5 and 6

Here are the Band 5 and 6 descriptors for Coherence and cohesion. Definitions of key terms are included below them.

Coherence and cohesion
Band 5	Band 6
presents information with some organisation but there may be a lack of overall progression makes inadequate, inaccurate or over-use of cohesive devices may be repetitive because of lack of referencing and substitution may not write in paragraphs, or paragraphing may be inadequate	arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately uses paragraphing, but not always logically

What do you need to do to move from a Band 5 to a Band 6 in Coherence and cohesion?

Now compare the Band 6 and Band 7 descriptors for Coherence and cohesion.

Coherence and cohesion
Band 6	Band 7
arranges information and ideas coherently and there is a clear overall progression uses cohesive devices effectively, but cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical may not always use referencing clearly or appropriately uses paragraphing, but not always logically	logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use presents a clear central topic within each paragraph

What do you need to do to move from a Band 6 to a Band 7 in Coherence and cohesion?

Finally, compare the Band 7 and Band 8 descriptors.

Coherence and cohesion
Band 7	Band 8
logically organises information and ideas; there is clear progression throughout uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use presents a clear central topic within each paragraph	sequences information and ideas logically manages all aspects of cohesion well uses paragraphing sufficiently and appropriately

What do you need to do to move from a Band 7 to a Band 8 in Coherence and cohesion?

Lesson 31, Topic 1

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