THE 3 PROPERTIES OF TEXT AND WRITING - LITERATURE - 2025

The main properties of text and writing are coherence, cohesion and adequacy. The text is a structured linguistic unit with a communicative intention determined in a specific context.

The text is composed of a series of sentences structured in paragraphs that complete a single meaning and that have grammatical and semantic relationships with each other.

According to its objective, there are different types of texts among which are mentioned:

-Narrative texts.

-Descriptive texts.

-Expository texts.

-Agumentative texts.

They can also be classified according to their form in:

-Poetics

-Dramatic

-Informative

-Declaratives

-Referential

But this classification is not exclusive. It is normal to find descriptive or argumentative sequences in narrative texts, for example.

However, there will always be a dominant textual sequence. A text can vary in its length, but this is usually linked to its objective.

The support on which a text is embodied is usually some type of paper, but creativity and the need for texts to be printed on fabrics, metals, plastics, stones, etc.

What are the properties of a text and the writing?

1. Consistency

Coherence is a property related to the organization of information so that the sender fulfills his communication objective in the receiver in a clear and precise way.

For this reason, it is also related to the knowledge shared between the sender and the receiver. It is a semantic relationship.

Consistency determines the amount of information a text contains as well as the order in which it is distributed.

For a text to be coherent, it must include a global theme that is detailed or deepened in each of the paragraphs that compose it.

This requires a special effort to select and organize the data in the text.

Concept maps help in this task.

The information in a text must meet certain rules to be consistent:

Repetition

The topic is presented several times and in different ways (with synonyms), throughout the text.

Relationship

Each point should be related to the central theme of the text.

Thematic progression

As the text progresses, new and relevant information on the topic is added.

No contradiction

It is assumed that there is always a thesis or premise that the issuer defends, therefore it is necessary for the data to support that thesis, not to contradict it.

Consistency also requires a type of structure:

Analyzer

That follows the deductive method from the statement of the thesis to its full development.

Synthesizer

In this structure the inductive method is applied and therefore, the conclusion reveals the fundamental thesis of the text.

An example of a consistent text could be:

“The car is small and red. It is a 2016 model year, has 4 doors and is synchronous. They imported it from Italy ”.

The information in this short paragraph revolves around a single topic: the car.

2. Cohesion

Cohesion allows the relationship between the paragraphs that make up the text to be correct and logical. That relationship is grammatical.

There are several resources or mechanisms to achieve this cohesion:

Mechanism of recurrence or repetition

This mechanism consists of repeating words, phrases or sentences. For example:

“Rosa is playing with her doll. It is the doll that her aunt gave her ”.

Substitution mechanism

In this case, one term takes the place of another

It can occur:

• As a lexical substitution through the use of synonyms or equivalent expressions.
• By using pronouns to avoid the repetition of the noun or referent.
• Through the use of pointing adverbs or deictics.

An example could be a sentence like the one below:

“Juana and Robert made a cake. She ate, but he did not arrive in time to receive his share. "

Ellipse

It is a resource that allows to suppress linguistic elements that are understood thanks to the context.

An example of this resource could be seen in this sentence:

“Today the first-year boys will play; tomorrow, the second ".

Discursive or textual markers

They are linguistic elements that help the receiver to interpret the meaning of the message. They logically connect the sequences of the text. In this case, they appear:

• Summative connectors
• Opposing connectors
• Consequence or cause connectors
• Speech computers

3. Adequacy

It is an extratextual property that consists of adapting the text to its purpose.

A text is adequate in terms of:

Shape

It refers to the typeface used and the arrangement of the text elements.

Purpose

It refers to whether the text is informative, descriptive, etc.

Registry

It refers to the relationship between the sender and the receiver.

Gender

Attend to the conventions of each genre to fulfill the purpose of the text.

References

1. Romeo, Ana (s / f) The properties of the text. Recovered from: materialsdelengua.org
2. Understanding english (2011). What is cohesion and coherence. Recovered from: gordonscruton.blogspot.com
3. Autonomous University of Mexico (s / f). Coherence. Recovered from: portalacademico.cch.unam.mx
4. wikipedia.-org
5. Young-Kyung Min (s / f). Recovered from: uwb.edu.