Why Cohesion Matters (কেন গুরুত্বপূর্ণ)
Coherence & Cohesion is its own 25% criterion in Writing (and part of Fluency in Speaking). Band 7 needs a "clear progression" of ideas and a range of cohesive devices used appropriately — not just "Firstly, Secondly, Finally". The best cohesion is often invisible: referencing and paragraphing, not a heavy dose of connectors.
Coherence & Cohesion Writing-এ আলাদা ২৫% মানদণ্ড। Band 7-এ ভাবের "স্পষ্ট অগ্রগতি" ও উপযুক্তভাবে বিভিন্ন cohesive device লাগে — শুধু "Firstly, Secondly" নয়। সেরা cohesion প্রায়ই অদৃশ্য: referencing ও paragraphing।
Over-linking caps you at Band 6. Starting every sentence with "Moreover, Furthermore, In addition" is "mechanical" — the band descriptor that limits your score. Variety and referencing beat quantity.
অতিরিক্ত linker Band 6-এ আটকায়। প্রতিটি বাক্য "Moreover/Furthermore" দিয়ে শুরু করা "যান্ত্রিক" — যা স্কোর সীমিত করে।
The final guide in our Band 7+ grammar series: Complex Sentences · Conditionals · Passive · Articles · Comparison & Modality.
Linking Devices by Function (সংযোগ-শব্দ)
Know a range for each function, and vary your choices across the essay. প্রতিটি কাজের জন্য কয়েকটি জানুন এবং রচনায় বৈচিত্র্য আনুন।
| Function | Sentence linkers | Within-sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Adding | Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, Besides | and, as well as, not only … but also |
| Contrasting | However, Nevertheless, On the other hand, Conversely | although, whereas, while, despite, in spite of |
| Cause | — | because, since, as, due to, owing to |
| Result | Therefore, Consequently, As a result, Thus, Hence | so, so that |
| Example | For instance, For example, To illustrate | such as, like, namely |
| Emphasis | Indeed, In fact, Above all, Notably | — |
| Sequence | First(ly), Subsequently, Finally, Meanwhile | before, after, once, as soon as |
| Concluding | In conclusion, To sum up, On balance, Overall | — |
| Clarifying / rephrasing | In other words, That is to say | — |
Punctuation: a sentence linker at the start takes a comma — "However, …". You cannot join two sentences with only a comma + "however" (comma splice); use a full stop or semicolon: "…rose. However, …" or "…rose; however, …".
বিরামচিহ্ন: শুরুতে linker + কমা। শুধু কমা + however দিয়ে দুই বাক্য জোড়া নয় (comma splice); full stop বা semicolon দিন।
Referencing — The Invisible Glue (রেফারেন্সিং)
Reference words point back to earlier ideas so you avoid repetition. This is what makes writing flow — and it is the cohesion examiners reward most. Reference শব্দ আগের ভাবের দিকে নির্দেশ করে, পুনরাবৃত্তি এড়ায়। এতেই লেখা বয়ে চলে।
| Reference tool | Points to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| this / these | the idea just mentioned | Cars pollute cities. This is a growing concern. |
| this + noun (very cohesive) | summarises the idea | …prices rose. This increase hurt low-income families. |
| such / such a | "things of this kind" | Such measures are expensive but necessary. |
| it / they | a specific noun | The genome was mapped; it took years. |
| the former / the latter | the first / second of two | Coal and solar differ: the former pollutes, the latter does not. |
| the + repeated idea (synonym) | avoids exact repetition | …a serious problem. The issue affects millions. |
Substitution & Ellipsis (প্রতিস্থাপন ও উহ্যকরণ)
Instead of repeating words, replace them (substitution) or leave them out (ellipsis). This keeps writing tight. শব্দ পুনরাবৃত্তির বদলে প্রতিস্থাপন বা বাদ দিন — লেখা ঘন থাকে।
| Device | Instead of… | Write… |
|---|---|---|
| one / ones | a cheap solution or an expensive solution | a cheap solution or an expensive one |
| do so / do that | …to reduce waste, and we must reduce waste | …to reduce waste, and we must do so |
| ellipsis (omit) | Some support the plan and some oppose the plan | Some support the plan and some oppose it / others do not |
| so / not | I think it will happen. / I hope it will not. | I think so. / I hope not. |
Paragraph Progression (অনুচ্ছেদের অগ্রগতি)
Cohesion is not only about words between sentences — it is about the logical order of ideas. Each Task 2 body paragraph should follow one shape. Cohesion কেবল শব্দ নয় — ভাবের যৌক্তিক ক্রম। প্রতিটি Task 2 প্যারা এক আকৃতি অনুসরণ করুক।
P-E-E-L paragraph: Point (topic sentence) → Explain → Example → Link back to the question. One main idea per paragraph, developed fully.
P-E-E-L প্যারা: Point → Explain → Example → Link। প্রতি প্যারায় একটি মূল ভাব, পূর্ণ বিকাশ।
লক্ষ্য করুন: "Because", "for instance", "therefore" এবং "This flexibility" — সব একসঙ্গে প্যারাটিকে বেঁধেছে।
Band 6 → Band 7 Errors (সাধারণ ভুল)
Your Turn — Improve the Cohesion (অনুশীলন)
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Air pollution is rising, and this problem harms children most. (this + noun)
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Renewable energy is clean; however, it is costly. (or: …clean. However, it is costly.)
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The council proposed a plan, but this costly proposal was ultimately rejected.
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Buses and cars both move people: the former is efficient, while the latter is flexible.
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We should protect old buildings, and we must do so now.
Next guide: Verb Tenses & Aspect. See all twelve guides on the Grammar hub, and apply it all with the Cambridge IELTS companions and the Band 7 upgrade.
পরের গাইড: Verb Tenses। সব বারোটি গাইড Grammar hub-এ।