Organization, Unity, and Cohesion

Back to: ACT English

 

The production of writing category of the ACT English will also require you to demonstrate your knowledge of how to create writing that employs a logical and consistent structure.

• Organization refers to the overall pattern used in a given text—how content will be ordered into paragraphs and/or sections.
• Unity refers to paragraph-level organization and specifically denotes a paragraph that focuses on a single idea and connects it to the overall purpose.
• Cohesion (or coherence) also focuses on paragraphs but represents the connection between the sentences and how well they transition from one to the next.

 

Order of Sentences and Paragraphs

These questions will address issues like whether or not the introduction and conclusion are effective, where in a given paragraph a sentence should be placed, and whether paragraphs or sentences should be reordered. The questions will be structured as follows:

• The following paragraphs may or may not be in the most logical order. Each paragraph is numbered in brackets, and question 14 will ask you to choose where Paragraph 3 should most logically be placed.
• Which of the following true statements, if added here, would most effectively lead into the new subject of the paragraph? 
• For the sake of the logic and coherence of the essay, Paragraph 3 should be placed:
• Which choice provides the clearest and most specific information about X? 
• Which choice provides the clearest and most specific reason that X? 
• Given that all the choices are accurate, which one best indicates that X? 

Transitions

Transition words function to connect the information from a preceding sentence to the information in the following sentence. Transition word questions will look something like this:

Most of the books on my shelves have still yet to be read. Similarly, I keep buying more.

A. NO CHANGE     B.  Also C.  Likewise D.  Nonetheless

Let’s answer the above question together. Here are the strategies you would use to tackle a question like this:

• • First, find the relationship: In your head, read the two sentences without the transition word. Ask yourself: What is the relationship between these two sentences? Is the second sentence contrasting the first? Is it adding information? Something else?
    • Hint: You can also consider the word you might be subconsciously tempted to insert there based on the relationship you’ve noted. Perhaps it won’t be an answer choice, but another choice may be in the same relationship category.
  • Second, find the category: Once you’ve determined the relationship between the two sentences, consider what category of transition words you will need. Select the answer option from that category, whether it is contrast, similarity, sequence, etc.

The underlined word in the above question indicates similarity between the two sentences. However, when you read the two sentences without the underlined portion, the sentences aren’t indicating similarity. With the first sentence implying the individual has many unread books and the second sentence indicating that they continue to purchase more, the second sentence seems to indicate an exception/contrast situation. Option D is the only possibility to indicate contrast.

 Remember to use the process of elimination: Determine if there is an outlier in your answer choices, especially if you are struggling to answer the question. 

• • In the example above, options A, B, and C all reflect similarity. That tells you that similarity is not the correct relationship between the clauses—there would not be three equally possible answers. 
  • Option D is your outlier, or the break in the pattern. Through that process of elimination, we know that D is the answer.

Studying for transition words on the ACT mainly involves learning and memorizing the transition words and the sentiments they carry. Use the table below to study the relationship categories for transition words.

Transition Word Relationship Categories
Similarity	also, in the same way, similarly, just as, so too, likewise,
Exception/Contrast	but, however, in spite of, on the one hand… on the other hand, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, in contrast, on the contrary, still, yet
Sequence/Order	first, second, third, … next, then, finally
Time	after, afterward, at last, before, again, currently, during, earlier, immediately, later, meanwhile, now, recently, simultaneously, then, subsequently
Example	for example, for instance, namely, specifically, to illustrate, e.g.
Emphasis	even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly, undoubtedly
Place/Position	above, adjacent, below, beyond, here, in front, in back, nearby, there, opposite to, wherever, underneath
Cause and Effect	accordingly, consequently, hence, so, therefore, thus, as a consequence, as a result, for that reason, on account of, since, so that, to this end, to do this
Additional Support or Evidence	additionally, again, also, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore, in addition, moreover, then
Conclusion/ Summary	finally, in a word, in brief, briefly, in conclusion, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus, to conclude, to summarize, in sum, to sum up, in summary, in short
Concession	admittedly, although it is true that, certainly, conceding that, granted that