Cover not available

Article published In: Australian Review of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 17:1 (1994) ► pp.125–139

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

Cohesive conjunctions in the English writing of Cantonese speaking students from Hong Kong

 | Hong Kong Baptist College
Published online: 1 January 1994
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/aral.17.1.07fie
Abstract
Student writers in Hong Kong have a distinctive style in ordering their thoughts for academic essay assignments which consists of frequent prefacing of their points with cohesive conjunctions. Applied linguists in Hong Kong have studied this use of conjunction to ascertain how it differs from native speaker use, to gauge the extent to which teaching, textbooks and transfer are influential and to analyse the extent of misuse and unnecessary use. This work is reviewed with close attention to Halliday and Hasan’s (1976) cohesion theory and further research directions and teaching implications are presented in the light of this theory.
References (18)
References
Arndt, V. (1990) Writing in first and second languages: comparisons and contrasts. Research Report No. 11. Hong Kong, City Polytechnic of Hong Kong.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Carrell, P. L. (1982) Cohesion is not coherence. TESOL Quarterly 16,4:479–488. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Crewe, W., C. Wright and M.W.K. Leung (1985) Connectives: On the other hand, ‘who needs them, though? Working Papers in Linguistics and Language Teaching. 81: 61–65.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Crewe, W. (1990) The illogic of logical connectives. ELT Journal 44,4:316–325. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Field, Y. and L.M.O. Yip (1992) A comparison of internal conjunctive cohesion in the English essay writing of Cantonese speakers and native speakers of English. RELC Journal 23,1:15–28. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Field, Y. (1993) Piling on the additives: the Hong Kong connection. In R. Pemberton and E.S.C. Tsang (eds) Studies in lexis. Hong Kong, University of Science and Technology.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Halliday, M.A.K. and R. Hasan (1976) Cohesion in English. London, Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hartnett, C.G. (1986) Static and dynamic cohesion: signals of thinking in writing. In B. Couture (ed.) Functional approaches in writing: Research perspectives. London, Frances Pinter.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Hayward, K. and H.C. Wilcoxon Jnr. (1991) Serving sentences in the glue factory. The Hong Kong Linguist: 91:16–35.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Johnson, K. E. (1992) Cognitive strategies and second language writers: A re-evaluation of sentence combining. Journal of Second Language Writing 1,1:61–75. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Long, M.H. and J.C. Richards (eds) (1987) Methodology in TESOL. Rowley, Mass., Newbury House.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mackay, R. (1974) Teaching the information gathering skills. RELC Journal 4,2:79–90.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Milton, J. and E.S.C. Tsang (1993) A corpus-based study of logical connectors in EFL students’ writing: directions for future research. In R. Pemberton and E.S.C. Tsang (eds) Studies in lexis. Hong Kong, University of Science and Technology.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Norment, N. Jr. (1984) Contrastive analysis of organizational structures and cohesive elements in native and ESL Chinese, English and Spanish writing. Unpublished Ph.D dissertation. Fordham University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Peters, P. (1985) Strategies for student writers. Brisbane, John Riley.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Quirk, R. and S. Greenbaum (1973) A university grammar of English. London, Longman.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Scollon, R. (1993) Cumulative ambiguity: conjunction in Chinese-English intercultural communication. Working Papers of the English Department 5, 1.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Wilcoxon, H. C. Jnr and K. Hay ward (1991) Resolving problems with cohesion. New Horizons 321:100–104.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (2)

Cited by two other publications

Tseng, Yen-Chu & Hsien-Chin Liou
2006. The effects of online conjunction materials on college EFL students’ writing. System 34:2 ► pp. 270 ff. DOI logo
Meisuo, Zhang
2000. Cohesive Features in the Expository Writing of Undergraduates in Two Chinese Universities. RELC Journal 31:1 ► pp. 61 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 14 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue