- Definition
Coherence means that all the ideas in a story, essay, or even just a paragraph fit together logically and make sense as a whole, so it's easy to understand.
In a paragraph about a trip to the beach, describing packing the car before describing the drive creates a coherent order of events.
How to teach this in 30 seconds
Try this analogy: Coherence is like linking train cars together in the right order so the whole train moves smoothly down the track.
Ask your child: How does this sentence get us ready for the next one?
Common mix-up: Kids may think that if all sentences are about the same topic, the paragraph is coherent. The key is that the ideas must also connect in a logical order that is easy for the reader to follow.
Examples
- A recipe is coherent because the steps are listed in the order you need to do them.
- When telling a friend about a movie, explaining the beginning before the end makes the story coherent.
- A comic strip's panels are placed in a specific order to tell a coherent story.
coherence is a term used in Ontario’s Kindergarten to Grade 8 curriculum.
Where this shows up
The descriptions on this page are SmartStudy’s own original, plain-language writing — not the Ministry’s wording. They are aligned to the Ontario Curriculum, © King’s Printer for Ontario. For the Ministry’s official wording, see the source link below. SmartStudy is an independent service and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Government of Ontario or the Ministry of Education. Ontario Curriculum and Resources ↗
