Lexical Cohesion (Synonym Chains)

Lexical cohesion is about making links.

Imagine you are writing a short story.

You mention a cat in sentence one.

In sentence two, you call it a pet.

In sentence three, you call it a feline.

These words all point to the same animal.

This creates a chain in the reader's mind.

It stops you from repeating cat ten times.

Repeating the same word sounds like a robot.

Swapping words makes your English sound natural.

It also shows you have a good vocabulary.

You can use synonyms, which are similar words.

You can use superordinates, which are general categories.

For example, apple becomes fruit.

You can even use pronouns like it or they.

But synonym chains are the most colorful way.

They add detail and emotion to your talk.

Think of it like a grammar traffic light.

Green means go ahead and swap words!

1. 1Creating a synonym chain is very simple.
2. 2You can follow these four easy steps:
3. 3Choose your main subject or object.
4. 4Find a word with a similar meaning.
5. 5Check if the new word fits the vibe.
6. 6Place the new word in the next sentence.
7. 7Let's try an example with the word house.
8. 8First sentence: "I live in a small house."
9. 9Second sentence: "The home is very old."
10. 10Third sentence: "This building has a red door."
11. 11See how the words house, home, and building link?
12. 12You are talking about the same place every time.
13. 13You can also go from specific to general.
14. 14Start with pizza, then use food, then meal.
15. 15Or go from general to specific to add detail.
16. 16Start with job, then use position, then role.
17. 17It is like building a bridge between your ideas.

Use synonym chains when you write emails.

It makes your messages look more professional.

Use them when telling a story to friends.

It keeps your listeners interested in the plot.

You should use them in job interviews too.

It shows you are a confident English speaker.

Use them when describing a beautiful vacation spot.

Instead of nice, use lovely or wonderful.

Use them when ordering food at a restaurant.

"The steak looks good. I want that meat."

It helps in exams like the IELTS or TOEFL.

Examiners love to see word variety in essays.

Use them whenever you feel like a word is tired.

If you said big three times, it is tired!

Give it a rest and use large or huge.

Your English will feel fresh and modern.

Do not use synonym chains for technical facts.

If a scientist says oxygen, they mean oxygen.

Don't call it "the breathable gas" every time!

Avoid them in very strict legal documents.

In law, every word must stay the same.

Don't use them for clear safety directions.

If a sign says Exit, don't look for a way out.

Just follow the word on the sign!

Also, avoid them if the synonym is too hard.

If you don't know the word, don't use it.

It is better to be clear than to be fancy.

Don't use synonyms that change the meaning.

A bicycle is not exactly the same as a car.

They are both vehicles, but they are different.

Keep your chains logical and easy to follow.

If you confuse the reader, the chain is broken.

The biggest mistake is called Over-Swapping.

This is when you change the word too much.

You don't need a new word for every sentence.

Sometimes, using the same word twice is okay.

Another mistake is using the wrong level of formal.

Don't use commence when talking to your mom.

Just say start or begin instead.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes.

Some learners use synonyms that are too strong.

I am happy is not the same as I am ecstatic.

Ecstatic means you are crazy happy!

Make sure the feeling matches the situation.

Watch out for words that look the same but aren't.

Large and fat are not the same for people!

Be polite with your word choices at all times.

Think of it like a grammar fashion choice.

Don't wear a tuxedo to a beach party.

Synonym chains are different from simple repetition.

Repetition is saying the same word again and again.

"I have a dog. The dog is big. I love the dog."

That is boring and sounds a bit childish.

Synonym chains are also different from pronouns.

Pronouns are words like he, she, it, or they.

"I have a dog. It is big. I love him."

This is correct, but it doesn't add new detail.

Synonym chains add flavor and extra information.

"I have a dog. The hound is big. I love my pet."

Hound tells us it might be a hunting dog.

Pet tells us about your relationship with it.

Chains are more descriptive than pronouns.

They are more interesting than simple repetition.

Use a mix of all three to be a great speaker.