A cohesive link is a small word or pair of words that tells the reader how two ideas relate: because, but, also, for example, so. The skill is to pick the link from the meaning, not from habit. It appears in every paragraph and every spoken explanation, and it follows developing a paragraph with a clear purpose in Second-language expression.
Chinese examples stay in Simplified Chinese with pinyin. The people are invented.
How do you choose a link?
Ask first: what is the relationship between these two ideas? Then pick the link.
| Relationship | Link | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Cause | 因为 (yīnwèi) | 因为下雨，比赛取消了。 |
| Result | 所以 / 因此 (suǒyǐ / yīncǐ) | 路很滑，所以我们走得很慢。 |
| Contrast | 但是 / 然而 (dànshì / rán’ér) | 我想去，但是我没有时间。 |
| Concession | 虽然……但是…… | 虽然很累，但是我很开心。 |
| Addition | 而且 (érqiě) | 这本书有趣，而且很有用。 |
| Example | 例如 (lìrú) | 例如，我每天走路上学。 |
Note that 虽然 (suīrán) and 但是 (dànshì) work as a pair in Chinese.
Worked example
Task (invented): Wei Jie explains why he prefers cycling to school.
Step 1, list the ideas. Cycling is cheap. Traffic is heavy at 7am. He arrives early. He sometimes gets tired.
Step 2, name each relationship. Cheap and fast: addition. Heavy traffic and cycling: cause and result. Tired: contrast.
Step 3, write.
我喜欢骑自行车上学，因为这样很省钱，而且比坐车快。早上七点路上很堵，所以骑车反而更早到学校。虽然有时候会觉得累，但是我觉得这样对身体也有好处。
Count the links: 因为 gives the cause, 而且 adds a second reason, 所以 gives the result, and 虽然……但是…… admits a small difficulty. Each link matches one relationship.
The mistake to watch for
A common slip is to use 而且 (addition) when the ideas contrast.
Mistaken sentence: 我喜欢跑步，而且我不喜欢游泳。
The reader expects a second similar idea after 而且, but 不喜欢游泳 goes the other way. The sentence is grammatical, yet the link says “also” when the meaning is “but”.
Correction: 我喜欢跑步，但是我不喜欢游泳。
A quick test: say the two ideas in your own words and ask whether you mean “and also” or “but”. Choose the link that says that.
Check yourself
1. Fill in the link: 他很努力，______ 成绩进步了。
Show answer
所以 (or 因此). The second idea is the result of the first.
2. Choose the better link: 这个办法很便宜，（A 但是 / B 而且）很方便。
Show answer
(B) 而且. Both ideas are good, so the relationship is addition.
3. Join with a pair: 天气很冷。我们还是去爬山了。
Show answer
虽然天气很冷，但是我们还是去爬山了。 The pair 虽然……但是…… shows that the second idea happened despite the first.
Where this leads next
Linking words also help when you restate a text in your own words, so move on to paraphrasing without changing stance. The summary selection and paraphrase studio lets you practise choosing the points a task needs.
A teacher in online one-to-one Chinese tuition can read your paragraph and ask “what did you mean here?” until the link matches.