Cohesive devices/ Recursos de cohesion

Cohesive devices form an essential part of any written piece, as they give coherence to the text, helping to
connect ideas logically. Cohesive devices can be conjunctions, connecting words and expressions, and in
certain occasions time/frequency expressions, as well as propositional phrases.

Expressions used ...

to add information

In Spanish

In English

Tembien

Also

Asimismo

Likewise, also

Igualmente

Equally, likewise

Ademes

Besides

to include ideas

Incluso/que

to exclude ideas

A excepcion de

Excepting

Excepto

Except for

En ml opinion

In my opinion

Desde mi punto de vista

From my point of view

Creo que/me parece que

I think that ...

to present one's opinion

incluye(n)

Included

to express someone else's

opinion

En la opinion de Juan

In Juan's opinion

Sequn Juan

According to Juan

to give examples

Como por ejemplo

For example

Como/tal como

Such as

to make a correction

En realidad/de hecho

In fact

to introduce causes or to
indicate the reason for
something

Porque

Because

Puesto que/ya que

Given that

Por esto/por eso/por el/o

Therefore, that is why

to introduce consequences

Debido a (esto)

Due to (this)

As! pues

Thus

Por 10 tanto

Therefore

Por una parte ...

On the one hand ...

Por otra ...

On the other (hand) ...

Mientras que

While/as long as

Mientrastanto

Meanwhile

Pero/sino

But

Sin embargo .

However, nevertheless

No obstante

Nevertheless

to contrast or compare ideas

AI contrario/por
En cambio/en

10 contrario

On the contrary
Instead

vez de

Por suerte/afortunadamente

Fortunately

Por fin

At last

to express (dis)agreement

(No) Estar de acuerdo con

To (dis)agree with

to express consequence

De manera que/de modo que

So that

to indicate concession

Aunque

Although, even though

A pesar de que

Although

A menos que/a no ser que

Unless

Con tal que/siempre

Provided that

to express approval

to indicate a condition

En caso de que

que

In case

to draw someone's attention

to reinforce an idea

As!

So, thus

As! que

So then, anyway

En efecto

In effect, in fact

Por consiguiente

Consequently,

Si bien

Though

Sin dudas/sin lugar a dudas

Undoubtedly,

En realidad/de

In fact

verdad

En el fondo/a la larga
to conclude

as a result
certainly

In the long run

Por ultimo

Lastly, finally

Finalmente

Finally

En conclusi6n

In conclusion

Para terminar

In conclusion

En resumenlresumiendo

In short

How to write effectively in Spanish

Pay careful attention to the mechanics of writing
Follow a few simple steps.

Organize your ideas. Time spent planning is crucial to good writing. Spend at least five minutes
planning the extended task. You can create different sorts of plans.
Write a list of points.
List essential words and/or ideas.
Jot down ideas for paragraphs.
Create concept maps linking ideas.
Write prepared phrases to present ideas.
Write a few prepared phrases to show off structures.
o
Remember that word-by-word translation rarely works. Think through the sentence in Spanish:
use structures you have learned in class. Literal translation of English expressions is also
ineffective.
Always consider the text type required and write down a few words bearing in mind the conventions
of such a text (article, letter or brochure).
Include cohesive devices at the start of each paragraph connecting them so they lead from one
idea to the other. Each paragraph should make clear its relation to what has been discussed before;
consider for example if you are continuing or adding to an idea; qualifying an idea; comparing or
contrasting, etc.

o
o
o
o
o
o

Pay careful attention to grammatical structures

Remember that there are often subtle differences between Spanish and English. Look at the list below; then
write in your notebook some sentences to illustrate each one.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

The use of the definite article (particularly with gustar)

The agreement and position of adjectives (normally after the noun)
The gender, singular and plural forms of nouns
The gender of some troublesome nouns (el problema, el programa, el mapa, etc)
Words which have several meanings (time: la hora, el tiempo, la vez)
The use of pronouns (especially the relative que to join sentences)
The appropriate use of object pronouns (check the noun they are replacing for gender/singular/plural)
The correct placement of object pronouns and reflexive pronouns (in front of conjugated verbs; after
and attached to commands and infinitives)

APPENDIX

Some words and

expressions used to

connect ideas
The following lists are by no means exhaustive, but they will give you a good start to connect ideas, to
summarize, to emphasize, etc. These words and expressions will allow you to enrich your vocabulary
and to speak and write in more connected discourse.

1. To begin to introduce an idea you may use the following:

a partir de (beginning with)
al + infinitive (upon ... )
al principio (at the beginning)

como punto de partida (as a point of departure)

en primer lugar (in the first place)
para empezar (to begin)

2. To add another idea or if you are telling a story and want to add the next step or express

ideas that were taking place before, after, or at the same time, you may use the following:
ademas (besides, furthermore)
al mismo tiempo (at the same time)
antes de + infinitive (before)
con respecto a (with respect to)
despues de + infinitive
(afterwards, after)
durante (during)
en cuanto (as soon as)
entonces (then)

luego (then, later)

mientras (while)
mientras tanto (in the meanwhile)
para continuar (to continue)
tambien (also)
tampoco (neither, nor ... either)
tan pronto como (as soon as)
y (and)

3. To express a contrasting point of view or to restrict another one previously expressed, you
may use the following:
a pesar de (que) (in spite of the fact that)
aunque (although)
como (as, in as much as)
en cambio (on the other hand)

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pero (but)
sin embargo (however, nevertheless)
sino (but)
sino que (but rather)

Appendix B

-------.1--~~------~r_------------------

4. To present different aspects of a topic or to make transitions, you may use the following:
as! (so)
con relacion a (in relation to)
con respecto a (with respect to)
conviene indicar / sefialar (it is
suitable to indicate/ point out)
de ese modo (in that way)
en cuanto a (regarding)

hablando de (speaking of, in reference to)

no ... sino (que) (not ... but rather)
por 10 general (generally)
por otro lado (on the other hand)
por un lado (on one hand)
si pensamos en (if we think about)
tarnbien viene al caso (it is also to the point)

5. To emphasize, you may use the following:

de hecho (in fact)
en realidad (actually)

hay que tomar en cuenta que (one must realize that)

10 importante es que (what is important is that)

6. To give examples, you may use the following:

para ilustrar (to illustrate)

por ejemplo (for example)

7. To draw a conclusion or to show cause and effect, you may use the following:
a causa de (on account of, because oj)
a fin de cuentas (in the end,
after all)
al fin y al cabo (after all)
as! que (so)
como (because)
como consecuencia (as a consequence)
como resultado (as a result)
de todos modos (at any rate, anyhow)
debido a (owing to, because of)
en conclusion (in conclusion)
en definitiva (in conclusion, definitely)
en fin (finally, in short)

en resumen (in summary)

en resumidas cuentas (in short)
en todo caso (in any case)
para concluir (to conclude)
para resumir (to summarize)
para terminar (to end)
por (because of)
por consiguiente (therefore)
por eso (therefore)
por 10 tanto (therefore)
porque (because)
puesto que (because)
ya que (because, seeing that)

Some words and expressions

used

to connect ideas

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