Coherence in the paragraph

Coherence in the paragraph means that the sentences of the paragraph are rightly
put together and properly connected.

When you are moving from sentence to sentence, keep the same voice, person,
number, and time, and the same subject, unless the thought requires a change.

Establish clear connections where they are needed between sentences; and make
sure that connectives are used with precision.

When you are relating a series of events, put first what happened first, put second
what happened second, and so on.

When you are treating a series of things that can be located, start at the bottom
and go to the top, or start at the top and go to the bottom, or start at the right and
go to the left, and so on; or start at one end and go to the other, and so on; that is,
proceed in an orderly fashion.

In a paragraph in which neither events nor localized things are discussed, it is im-
possible to use the order of time or place. In such a paragraph it is good to use the
order of interest or importance.

After the topic sentence, if there is one, begin with the least interesting or im-
portant idea, go on to a more interesting or important idea, and so on, and end with
the most interesting or important idea.

When you are in control of the order, as in a fictional story, you can frequently
make two or more of the orders of time, of place, and of importance or interest co-
incide, with consequent gain in clarity and interest.

Most of the time it is quite justifiable to subordinate the order of time or the order
of place to the order of interest or importance in those paragraphs where the vari-
ous orders are combined. But do not use and order or combination of orders that is
not clear.

Coherence in the theme

Coherence in the theme means that the words, sentences, paragraphs, chapters, and
parts of the theme are rightly put together and properly connected.

Arrange the main and subordinate parts of a theme in one of the following or simi-
lar orders:

— The order of time. First tell what happened first, and so on. (This order is
particularly useful in narratives.)

— The order of place. Start at the bottom and go to the top, or start at the top,
and so on. (This order is particularly useful in descriptions.)

— The order of interest or importance. Start with the least important or inter-
esting thought and move by degrees to the most interesting or important.

— The logical order. Follow a series of causes and effects, circumstances and
results, and so on.

— The psychological order. Follow the order that will make your matter more in-
teresting, easier to understand, or more acceptable to a particular audience.

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