Lesson 2

Cohesion in a
Paragraph
Learning Competency

Identify properties of a
well-written text
(coherence and
cohesion) (EN11/12RWS-
IIIgh-4.2).
Objectives

define and explain cohesion;

determine whether a paragraph is cohesive

or not; and

write a cohesive paragraph.

Essential Question

How will you know if

a paragraph is
cohesive?
Warm up!
Think-Pair-Share

With a partner, discuss how to improve

the paragraph below.

I am a medical student. Sometimes, I want to be a

lawyer. During rainy days, I badly want to sleep, but I
have so many things to do. I better start doing them or
I will be late for the submission. Indeed, becoming a
medical student is a noble thing.
Review

How do we discuss a central idea clearly?

How do we ensure that the ideas in a

paragraph are unified?
Learn about it

Cohesion

refers to the unity of ideas in a paragraph

every detail in a paragraph should support

the main idea
Learn about it
Cohesion

Readers do not only understand sentences

individually, but they also take the meaning of the
group of sentences as a whole into consideration.

When a paragraph or an entire text lacks cohesion,

readers may find it challenging to determine how
the ideas in it are related to one another.
Learn about it
Theatre as a Management Tool
Main idea: A theatrical production is helpful and educational as a team-building activity because it
involves a lot of people coming together for a single goal.
Supporting Detail 1: It requires leadership skills to direct and motivate the whole group towards the
objective.
Supporting Detail 2: It also requires managerial skills, because it is crucial to organize people or
teams working on various aspects of the play, such as set design, props, and costumes.

Supporting Detail 3: In addition, staging a play requires flexibility and improvisation, because a lot
can go wrong in a live performance. And so, people may need to adapt.
Supporting Detail 4: Lastly, it requires social skills, especially for those who will take center stage. The
stars of the show must be able to work in harmony with those behind the scenes.
Learn about it
Achiever’s Curse

Main idea: Someone who is an achiever early in their education may find it difficult to cope
with the difficulties that come with higher education.

Supporting Detail 1: In elementary, I often had the highest grades in class, and so I was a
regular in the honor roll.

Supporting Detail 2: In high school, I made it to the honors class, where I would continue
to perform well in my studies. I would even place in the top ten of the entire year.

Supporting Detail 3: However, upon entering college, things started going downhill.

Supporting Detail 4: Because I was so used to grasping lessons so easily before, I would
get frustrated and give up when a new lesson seemed too difficult to understand.
Learn about it

Achiever’s Curse

Supporting Detail 5: When a task required more time and effort than I was used to
exerting, I would procrastinate or avoid doing it altogether.

Supporting Detail 6: Furthermore, since my self-esteem was so closely tied to people

thinking I was brilliant, I would refuse to even attempt anything where I might fail.

Supporting Detail 7: And so I went from overachiever to underachiever, because despite

my intellect, the notion of failure became a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Writing Prompts

Answer each prompt in a paragraph. Works will be

graded using the rubric provided.

How is cohesion observed or achieved in a

paragraph? How can you ensure that a
paragraph you have written is cohesive?

Read the paragraph. Revise the paragraph such

that it becomes clear and cohesive.
Writing Prompts
Write a paragraph on one of the following topics. Make
sure that you have a well-supported main idea and that
you maintain cohesion in the paragraph.

The holiday with the most significance to you

An admirable celebrity
The personal flaw you would want to change the most
The relevance (or lack thereof) of romantic
relationships in adolescence
The job you would pursue if money were not a
problem
Writing Prompts

Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished

(0–1 pt.) (2–3 pts.) (4–5 pts.)
Content/ The main idea is not The main idea can be The main idea is
Substance clear. The supporting determined. clear. Supporting
ideas are illogical or Supporting ideas are ideas are all related
unrelated. sufficient to develop and thoroughly
the topic. expound on the
topic.
Organization The details are poorly Supporting details are The supporting
organized. No logical adequately organized details are well-
flow can be discerned. such that logical flow organized and flow
of ideas is observed. logically from the
 Writing Prompts

Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score

(0–1 pt.) (2–3 pts.) (4–5 pts.)
Unity The sentences do not The sentences The sentences
seem to convey a generally convey a clearly convey a
unified idea. Few to no unified idea. unified idea.
transitions are used. Transitions were Transitions were
sufficiently used. used effectively.
Language The number of errors There were a few There were almost
(spelling, made the paragraph errors, but the no errors. The
mechanics, impossible to paragraph could still paragraph was easy
grammar, and understand. convey its meaning. to understand.
word choice)
Score: /20
Values Integration

How do you keep a discussion

focused on the relevant topic?
Synthesis

1. Form groups of five.

2. A topic sentence will be assigned at random to each
group. Each member must come up with at least one
relevant sentence, such that the end-result is a
cohesive paragraph. Your teacher will be strict in
enforcing this.
3. Write your completed paragraph on a cartolina, manila
paper, or illustration board provided. Then, groups will
take turns presenting in class. Your classmates will
critique and ask questions.
Synthesis

4. After the activity, answer the following

questions:
● What were the challenges of coming
together to create a single cohesive
paragraph?
● How does a cohesive paragraph
convey its topic effectively?
Assignment

1. Find a copy of a poem you like from the

library or on the Internet.
2. Write what you like about the poem in a
seven- to ten-sentence paragraph. Be sure
your supporting ideas are cohesive.
Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished
(0–1 pt.) (2–3 pts.) (4–5 pts.)

Content/ The main idea is not The main idea can be The main idea is
Substance clear. The supporting determined. Supporting clear. Supporting
ideas are illogical or ideas are sufficient to ideas are all related
unrelated. develop the topic. and thoroughly
expound on the
topic.

Organization The details are poorly Supporting details are The supporting
organized. No logical adequately organized details are well-
flow can be discerned. such that logical flow of organized and flow
ideas is observed. logically from the
main topic.
Criteria Beginning Developing Accomplished Score
(0–1 pt.) (2–3 pts.) (4–5 pts.)

Unity The sentences do not The sentences The sentences

seem to convey a generally convey a clearly convey a
unified idea. Few to unified idea. unified idea.
no transitions are Transitions were Transitions were
used. sufficiently used. used effectively.

Language The number of errors There were a few There were almost
(spelling, made the paragraph errors, but the no errors. The
mechanics, impossible to paragraph could still paragraph was
grammar, and understand. convey its meaning. easy to
word choice) understand.

Score: /20