Text Structure and Cohesion
Section: Reading | Syllabus: Cambridge Primary English First Language (0058)
How Writers Handle Time and the Progression of Ideas
- Most stories are told in chronological order - events happen in the order they occurred
- Writers sometimes present events out of chronological order
- A flashback interrupts the present-day story to show an earlier event
- This can explain why a character behaves a certain way, or build suspense by delaying information
- When reading, track how ideas progress - does the text move forward in time, jump backwards, or return to an earlier idea later on?
Text: "Ben refused to go near the lake, even on the hottest days. Three years ago, he had slipped on the wet rocks there and been pulled under for what felt like a full minute before his brother reached him. Now, standing at the school gates, he watched his classmates board the bus for the lake trip without him."
Question: Identify the flashback in this extract and explain its purpose.
The present-day story is Ben at the school gates, refusing to join the lake trip. "Three years ago, he had slipped on the wet rocks..." is the flashback - it jumps back in time. The flashback explains why Ben behaves the way he does now - his fear of the lake makes sense once the reader learns about his near-drowning. AnswerThe flashback is the near-drowning incident "three years ago". Its purpose is to explain the present-day event: why Ben refuses to go near the lake.
Key Features of Text Structure Across Different Text Types
- Different text types are structured in different, recognisable ways
- Fiction (novels) - divided into chapters, often building towards a climax and resolution
- Non-fiction - divided into sections with headings and subheadings, usually organised by topic rather than by time
- Poems - divided into lines and stanzas, which may or may not follow a regular pattern
- Playscripts - divided into acts and scenes, with dialogue and stage directions rather than paragraphs of description
- Recognising a text's structure helps you predict how information will be organised and find what you need more quickly
Linking Ideas Cohesively Across a Text
- Cohesion is how a text's ideas are linked together so it reads as a connected whole, not a list of separate sentences
- Ways writers create cohesion:
- Starting a new chapter or paragraph to signal a shift - such as moving into a flashback, or returning to the present
- Using connectives like however and on the other hand to move between the two sides of a balanced argument
- Repeating key terms, or using pronouns to refer back to something mentioned earlier
A connective like however links two paragraphs into one connected discussion, not two separate points
Worked Example: Identifying Cohesive Links Between ParagraphsText: "Paragraph 1: Some scientists argue that a four-day school week would improve student wellbeing, giving pupils more time to rest and pursue hobbies. However, paragraph 2: other researchers warn that a shorter week would mean longer school days, leaving younger pupils exhausted by the extra hours."
Question: How does the writer link paragraph 2 to paragraph 1, and what is the effect?
The connective "However" opens paragraph 2, directly linking it to paragraph 1. This connective signals that paragraph 2 will present the opposing view to paragraph 1. Without "However", the shift between the two viewpoints would feel abrupt and less clearly connected. AnswerThe connective "However" links the two paragraphs by signalling a change from the case for a four-day week to the case against it, making the balanced argument read as one connected discussion rather than two separate points.
Common Mistakes
MistakeAssuming a story is always told in the order events actually happened
Fixcheck for phrases like "years ago" or "she remembered" that signal a jump backwards or forwards in time
MistakeOnly noticing that a connective is present without explaining what it links or why
Fixalways explain which two ideas the connective is joining, and what shift it signals
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