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Language Cohesion Clinic

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Language Cohesion Clinic

Read each item carefully. Use pronouns, synonyms and ellipsis to make writing flow smoothly without losing meaning. Australian spelling is used.

Spotting repetition

Look closely at repeated nouns and compare how each version reads.

1.Read this paragraph: “Arjun found a shell on the beach. Arjun brushed sand from the shell. Arjun showed the shell to her brother.” Which nouns are repeated equally often?

2.In the paragraph about Arjun and the shell, how many times does the word “shell” appear?

3.Which version uses a pronoun to reduce repetition while keeping the meaning clear?

The kookaburra perched on the fence. The kookaburra called loudly.
The kookaburra perched on the fence. It called loudly.
The bird perched on the fence. The kookaburra perched on the fence.

Pronoun power

Replace repeated nouns only when the reader can tell clearly what each pronoun refers to.

4.Rewrite these sentences to avoid repeating “Matilda” and “Matilda’s”: “Matilda packed Matilda’s lunch. Matilda put Matilda’s lunch in Matilda’s backpack.”

5.Rewrite the sentences using pronouns where they make the meaning clear: “The netball players collected the balls. The netball players carried the balls to the shed.”

6.Match each pronoun with the noun or noun group it could replace.

He
She
It
They

Oliver
Mr Patel
The telescope
The magpies

Synonyms and precise choices

A synonym can vary word choice, but it should still fit the context.

7.Select both words that can mean a person who teaches a class: “educator”, “pupil”, “instructor”, “spectator”.

educator
pupil
instructor
spectator

8.Improve this sentence by replacing the second use of “bicycle” with a suitable synonym or descriptive noun: “Mei wheeled her bicycle inside because the bicycle had a flat tyre.”

9.Fill the blank with a suitable word or phrase that refers to the wombat: “A wombat emerged from its burrow. The sniffed the air.”

10.Fill the blank with a suitable word or phrase that refers to the wombat: “A wombat emerged from its burrow, then the waddled towards a patch of grass.”

Ellipsis: leave out what is understood

Ellipsis in this worksheet means omitting repeated words when the reader can still understand the sentence.

11.Combine these ideas, removing the repeated words: “Grace enjoys making models. Grace enjoys making models of spacecraft.”

12.Rewrite this pair as one smooth sentence, leaving out the repeated action: “The class planted seedlings. The class planted seedlings beside the fence.”

13.What does ellipsis do in cohesive writing?

It removes repeated information that is already clear.
It adds a new character to a paragraph.
It replaces every noun with a synonym.

Cohesion clinic challenge

Edit the paragraph using pronouns, synonyms and ellipsis. Keep the meaning clear.

14.Improve this paragraph by reducing unnecessary repetition: “The ranger entered the reserve. The ranger checked the track. The ranger saw a wallaby beside the track. The ranger watched the wallaby quietly. The wallaby hopped away, and the ranger smiled.”

15.Read the two versions in the table. Which one is more cohesive, and name one technique that helps it flow.

Version A: The kite rose into the sky. The kite dipped when the wind changed. The kite landed near the oval.

Version B: The kite rose into the sky. It dipped when the wind changed and landed near the oval.

16.Explain how replacing repeated nouns with pronouns, synonyms or ellipsis can help a paragraph.