Table of Contents
Precision, Clarity and Coherence
Effective communication requires more than grammatical correctness. The reader must be able to understand the intended message accurately and follow the relationship between ideas.
Three important qualities are precision, clarity, and coherence.
Precision
Precision means expressing exactly what is intended.
Compare:
Many people attended the meeting.
with:
More than 200 employees attended the meeting.
The second sentence is more precise because it provides specific information.
Precision is particularly important in:
- academic writing
- scientific writing
- legal writing
- technical communication
- official reports
Clarity
Clarity means that the reader can understand the message without unnecessary difficulty.
A clear sentence normally has:
- a recognizable main idea
- appropriate vocabulary
- logical structure
- suitable sentence length
- clear relationships between ideas
Compare:
The implementation of the procedure by the department was undertaken after consideration of several factors.
with:
The department implemented the procedure after considering several factors.
The second is more direct and easier to process.
Coherence
Coherence means that ideas fit together logically and form a meaningful whole.
A coherent paragraph normally has:
- a central idea
- supporting information
- logical progression
For example:
Regular exercise improves physical health. It strengthens the heart, supports healthy weight, and can improve sleep. For these reasons, exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
Each sentence contributes to the same overall idea.
Cohesion
Cohesion concerns the linguistic connections between sentences and parts of a text.
Common cohesive devices include:
- pronouns
- repetition of key terms
- synonyms
- conjunctions
- transitional expressions
Examples:
The government introduced a new policy. This policy aims to improve public transport.
The phrase this policy connects the second sentence to the first.
Logical Progression
Ideas should normally be presented in an order that readers can follow.
Possible patterns include:
- chronological order
- cause and effect
- general to specific
- problem and solution
- comparison and contrast
- question and answer
Poor organization can make individually correct sentences difficult to understand as a whole.
Avoiding Ambiguity
Clarity also requires avoiding expressions that allow unintended interpretations.
When Ali spoke to Ahmed, he was angry.
Who was angry?
Ali or Ahmed?
A clearer version would specify the intended person:
Ali was angry when he spoke to Ahmed.
The Three Qualities Together
Effective communication can be understood as:
Precision tells us exactly what is meant.
Clarity makes it easy to understand.
Coherence makes the ideas fit together logically.
Together, these qualities produce effective communication.