Mzamani Steven Khosa
Department of Language Education, School of Education, University of Limpopo, Sovenga 0727, South Africa
Hlaviso Motlhaka
Department of Language Education, School of Education, University of Limpopo, Sovenga 0727, South Africa
Writers’ aptitude to produce coherent essays depends on the correct usage of cohesive devices. Thus this research
aimed to explore strategies the Grade 12 English First Additional Language (EFAL) learners in the Malamulele South circuit
use to achieve cohesion in their English essays. The research problem is that when cohesive devices are used incorrectly,
they may affect comprehension because cohesive devices help readers integrate information between sentences in a text.
Knowledge of how cohesive devices are used may help learners write logical and well-connected sentences and paragraphs,
enhancing their essay marks. The research sampled fifteen learners’ essays from two schools under the Malamulele South
circuit. The study used document analysis as an instrument for data collection. The study used the qualitative method. The
results of the research revealed that the Grade 12 First Additional Language learners at Malamulele South Circuit use lexical
and grammatical cohesive devices to achieve cohesion in their English essays. Learners used lexical cohesion such as
repetition, synonyms, hyponyms, antonyms, superordinates and collocation to achieve cohesion. The results further showed
that learners use grammatical cohesion such as reference, substitution, ellipsis, and conjunction. Errors found include
errors of omission, mismatch, addition and misplacement of lexical and grammatical cohesive devices. The implications
of these findings for learners highlight the importance of being cognisant of their writing errors, which can facilitate the
process of self-correction and improvement. For educators, these findings serve as a valuable resource for reflecting on
their instructional methodologies and pedagogical approaches, potentially leading to enhanced teaching practices.
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Copyright © 2025 Mzamani Steven Khosa, Hlaviso Motlhaka
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