PARAGRAPH COHERENCE

Word Glue and Logic Glue

Paragraph Coherence: Gluing Sentences Together

Sentence glue is necessary to provide coherence to your paragraph. These transitions help the reader understand how each sentence supports your topic. Between each sentence, there must be word glue and/or logic glue.

Word Glue

These are actual words a writer uses to join two sentences together.

Key Words: repeated words or synonyms that refer to the previous idea. Pronouns: [it, her, they, those] use to refer to nouns in previous sentences Traditional transitional words:
For example Furthermore In addition First, second, third

Logic Glue

These might not be words that you actually use, but they represent the relationship between two sentences. Quite often, this relationship is implied rather than stated.

For example, here are some implied relationships using Logic Glue:

AND BUT OR

THAT IS

Continues the same idea with new facts A change in the idea of the previous sentence An alternative for the earlier sentence A definition or restatement of the earlier sentence

Examples continued

FOR EXAMPLE THEREFORE

An example of the earlier sentence A conclusion or effect based on the earlier sentence A reason or cause for the earlier sentence

FOR

Sample paper

Find the word glue and logic glue in the paragraph on the handout I gave you. Look for links between one sentence and the next.

What is the Word Glue/ Logic Glue?

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In Alan Paton's Cry, The Beloved Country, the village of Ndotsheni faces great destruction after the land becomes barren from drought, overuse and disrespect. The decay of the village and South African tribal system becomes apparent when most of the young adults leave the village and travel to Johannesburg to make their living. [Example of whats in blue in previous sentence] Stephen Kumalo, the town's Zulu priest, and his family become victims of the town's deterioration. "My own son, my own sister, my own brother. They go away and they do not write anymore. Perhaps it does not seem to them that we suffer. Perhaps they do not care for it," Stephen Kumalo says of the three estranged members of his family (39). [also, elaboration] First, Stephen's son, Absalom, leaves his home to make a more prosperous living in Johannesburg, but is quickly led astray; secondly, Stephen's sister, Gertrude, leaves the village...

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One of the main themes that emerges from reading Alan Paton's, Cry, the Beloved Country, is the importance of tribal life to South Africa because of the identity it gave its people. Through the communal life of the tribe, the structure of stability and morality of the tribe, South Africa's people had a sense of accountability for their own doings, a responsibility towards other and pride in the unity of their people. [but] Tribal life began to break up, however, with the coming of the mines as the youth set off towards Johannesburg and became lost in the crowds and the city. These youths lost their sense of tribal pride, their responsibility towards others and a feeling of accountability for their actions. As a result, many turned to a life of crime and immorality, destroying families and ignoring hundreds of years of tribal structure, ultimately turning their...

What is the Word Glue/ Logic Glue?

To earn the right to be called a hero, one must possess the valor to help face the hazardous perils that lie before him. Theseus and Perseus were two of the most valorous heroes who walked the earth. Having earned his right to claim himself as King Aegeus son, Theseus invited danger on his journey to his father. He refused to travel by ship because it was too easy; in fact, he took the land route for more dangers and hazards.

Resources

Degen, Michael. Crafting Expository Writing. Dallas, TX: Telmachos Publishing, 1997. Evler, Mescal (Editor). Elements of Language. Austin, TX:Holt, Rhinehart and Winston, 2001. Transitional Language. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. <http://unc.edu>