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Kohäsionsmittel im Text

Kohäsionsmittelfor English Speakers

Introduction

Cohesion devices tie German texts together: connector adverbs (dazu, darüber hinaus, demzufolge), pro-forms (dies, dafür, worauf), and theme-rheme progression (known info → new info). English uses similar tools (furthermore, therefore, this, for which), so the concepts transfer well. The challenge is using them naturally in German word order, especially positioning connector adverbs (which trigger inversion) and integrating pro-forms into subordinate clauses.

German vs English

In German

Darüber hinaus muss man bedenken, dass...

In English

Furthermore, one must consider that...

Key Difference

Same connector function; German triggers verb inversion, English doesn't.

In German

Dies führt dazu, dass die Kosten steigen.

In English

This leads to costs rising.

Key Difference

German uses 'dazu, dass' construction; English uses simpler gerund phrases.

Common Mistakes for English Speakers

Darüber hinaus wir müssen bedenken.

Forgetting inversion after the connector — darüber hinaus occupies first position, so the verb follows immediately.

Darüber hinaus müssen wir bedenken.

Das führt dazu, dass steigen die Kosten.

Normal word order in the dass-clause — the verb goes to the end, not to second position.

Dies führt dazu, dass die Kosten steigen.

Practice Examples

Dazu kommt, dass die Kosten steigen.

On top of that, costs are rising.

Dies hat zur Folge, dass sich vieles ändert.

This has the consequence that much is changing.

Demzufolge müssen neue Maßnahmen ergriffen werden.

Consequently, new measures must be taken.

Memory Tip

Cohesion words are the GLUE of German texts — dazu/darüber/demzufolge connect ideas. After them: verb before subject.

View Grammar Rule

Kohäsionsmittel im Text

KohäsionsmittelC1

Practice Exercises

Kohäsionsmittel im Text Übungen

8 exercises

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