Passage types and organization - Coherence: reference, trans...

Learning Outcomes

After working through this article, you will be able to recognize and follow textual connections in TOEFL Reading passages. You will learn how to identify reference words and link them to their antecedents, interpret transition signals that show relationships, and spot connectors that organize sentences. These abilities will help you analyze passage flow and answer exam questions that focus on logical structure and organization.

TOEFL iBT Syllabus

For TOEFL, you are required to understand how passages use coherence for organization, clarity, and meaning. For revision, focus on these syllabus points:

• Identify the function of reference words (pronouns, demonstratives) and accurately link them to their antecedents within the passage.
• Recognize and interpret transition signals (contrast, cause, addition, example, sequence, summary).
• Distinguish connectors (such as conjunctions) that link clauses, sentences, or paragraphs and show the logical flow.
• Analyze how reference, transitions, and connectors together contribute to passage structure and coherence.
• Accurately answer TOEFL Reading questions about what reference words refer to, and about the purpose or function of transition and connector words in context.

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. In the sentence, "This result astonished the researchers," what does "this" refer to?
2. Which transition signal most clearly introduces a reason: "as a result," "for example," "because," or "on the other hand"?
3. What is the role of "although" in a sentence linking two contrasting ideas?
4. What does a reference word like "they" usually refer to in a passage, and how do you determine it?

Introduction

Understanding coherence—how parts of a passage are connected—is fundamental for strong TOEFL Reading comprehension. Academic passages use reference words, transition signals, and connectors to create clear structure and organize information. Being able to track these devices will help you answer exam questions about the meaning or function of certain words and to understand overall passage flow.

Key Term: Reference Word
A word—usually a pronoun (such as "it," "they"), demonstrative ("this," "these"), or possessive adjective ("their," "its")—that points to a specific noun or idea elsewhere in the text.

Key Term: Antecedent
The word or phrase in a passage to which a reference word refers; often found earlier in the same or previous sentence.

Key Term: Transition Signal
A word or phrase (for example, "however," "for example," "as a result") that marks the relationship between ideas and helps the reader understand what comes next.

Key Term: Connector
A word or phrase (such as "and," "but," "because," "although") that joins clauses, sentences, or paragraphs to show logical connection within or between ideas.

Reference Words: Locating and Interpreting

Reference words connect new information to earlier points without constant repetition. Correctly interpreting what a reference word refers to is essential for understanding the meaning of a sentence or a passage. Reference word questions on the TOEFL will ask you to determine what a pronoun or demonstrative refers to, often testing your ability to scan the context for the correct antecedent.

Worked Example 1.1

Passage: Solar panels convert sunlight into electricity and can be installed on many homes. They reduce dependence on fossil fuels and lower energy bills. This technology has seen rapid growth worldwide.

Question: In the last sentence, what does "This technology" refer to?

Answer:
"This technology" refers to "solar panels"—not fossil fuels or energy bills.

Transition Signals: Understanding Relationships

Transition signals—also called signal words—show how ideas relate to each other. They can appear at the start or in the middle of a sentence and indicate relationships such as addition, contrast, cause/effect, sequence, or example. Recognizing signal words helps you understand how information is organized and how new sentences connect to what came before.

Common Transition Signals (with example functions)

• Addition: moreover, furthermore, also, in addition
• Contrast: however, in contrast, on the other hand, nevertheless
• Cause/Effect: therefore, thus, as a result, consequently
• Example: for instance, for example, such as
• Sequence: first, then, finally, next
• Summary/Conclusion: in conclusion, to sum up

Worked Example 1.2

Passage: The rainforest is home to thousands of species. For example, it contains many types of insects that live nowhere else.

Question: What is the function of "For example" in the second sentence?

Answer:
"For example" introduces a specific instance of what was discussed in the previous sentence (thousands of species).

Exam Warning

Reference words do not always refer to the closest noun before them. Always check the earlier context to make sure you have the correct antecedent for a pronoun or "this/these".

Connectors: Joining Clauses and Sentences

Connectors are the words that directly link parts of a sentence, sentences, or whole paragraphs. They include:

• Coordinating conjunctions: and, but, or, so, yet, nor, for
• Subordinating conjunctions: because, although, since, unless, while, if

Coordinating conjunctions are used to join ideas of equal importance, while subordinating conjunctions show one idea is dependent on another (as in cause, contrast, or condition).

Worked Example 1.3

Passage: Scientists expected the experiment to succeed, but the results were disappointing.

Question: What is the role of "but" in this sentence?

Answer:
"But" is a coordinating conjunction showing contrast between what was expected and what actually happened.

Applying Coherence Devices in Passage Organization

Academic paragraphs and passages use these coherence devices to organize information clearly. Well-structured texts strategically use reference words to tie current statements to earlier ideas, transition signals to introduce and relate new ideas, and connectors to form logically connected sentences.

Having a solid understanding of these features will help you answer reading comprehension questions that ask about the meaning of pronouns, the function of transitions, or the relationship between sentences and paragraphs.

Revision Tip

When reviewing reading passages, underline or highlight reference words, transition signals, and connectors. Beside each, briefly note what it refers to or the type of relationship it signals (e.g., "contrast," "cause," "example").

Summary

In TOEFL Reading, coherence devices—reference words, transition signals, and connectors—create logical and organized structure. Being able to track what reference words refer to, interpret transition signals, and identify connectors is key for both understanding passages and answering questions about meaning and organization.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Recognize reference words and accurately identify their antecedents.
• Interpret transition signals that mark addition, contrast, cause/effect, or other relationships.
• Identify connectors and their functions in joining clauses and sentences.
• Understand how reference words, transitions, and connectors work together for clear passage structure.
• Use these skills to answer TOEFL Reading questions about reference, passage organization, or logical relationships.

Key Terms and Concepts

• Reference Word
• Antecedent
• Transition Signal
• Connector