Communicative functions: Creating links in text

Making links to people, places & things in texts: Pop-up notes

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Using pronouns 

Note

When pronouns are used to point outwards to something in the environment, we call it 'external' reference (or 'exophoric' reference).
Note

When pronouns are used to point to something inside the text, we call it 'internal' reference (or 'endophoric' reference).
Analysis

Example

UPSTAIRS

I went upstairs 
to watch it move.
I kept it there
under some clothes
in a small box.
It felt so warm
when I held it.
Then I dropped it.
It didn't move
for a long time.
And the next day
when I touched it,
it felt funny.
It wouldn't crawl.
It wasn't warm.
Something was bad
inside. I knew
it wasn't mine
the way it was.
It's still up there.
I don't want it
because it's cold.
I won't go near.
I stay downstairs.
It's warm down here
And I'm happy.

- John Stevens Wade

Notice that in this text we never find out what 'it' relates to. What do you think the poem is about?
Analysis

Using demonstratives

Analysis

Using comparatives

Note A good way of seeing if a cohesive link is being made is to take a clause or sentence out of context and see whether it makes sense. If it doesn't make complete sense on its own, then it probably means you need to look elsewhere in the text (or in the physical environment) for the meaning. In this way, you can identify which items are cohesive (ie making a link elsewhere).