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Substitution is one more cohesive device.  It means replacing verbs by using the verb do.  e.g. Do you like to go for a walk ?

 

            Yes I do

           

            Here ‘do’ replaces ‘like’

 

            We can use ‘so’ as a substitute

                        It’s very hot today

            Yes, I think so.

 

Here, ‘so’ replaces ‘it’s very hot today’.  Sometimes pronouns are used as substitutes.

 

She never responded to his love.  And it hurt him deeply.

 

Here ‘it’ replaces what is said in the earlier sentence.

 

We have said earlier that all sentences in a discourse are bound to a single theme.  It means they are relevant in a particular context.  We have also said that these sentences are in a logical order.  Now let’s see how these sentences are connected with each other.  There are certain phrases or expressions that tell us what was said earlier, what is being said now and what is going to be said later.  These expressions also express the attitude and the opinion of the speaker about what is being said.  Such expressions are called discourse – markers.  They are called so because they help form a discourse.  Let’s have a look at some discourse markers.

 

Discourse markers indicating addition

 

Mahesh is lazy and dishonest – What is more he is stupid.

He has first class at M. A.  Moreover he has got a gold medal.

           

Here, ‘what is more’ and ‘moreover’ supply extra information.

 

Discourse – markers indicating change in the topic.

 

Today I am going to give you a surprise.  By the way who is absent today?

Nowadays nobody likes to read.  Anyway do like this place. 

 

Discourse-markers indicating paraphrase vote.

 

 That is to say he or she can choose a political leader.

            I don’t like going take to my office.  I mean I want to be punctual. 

Here we are trying to say the same thing in other words.

 

There are a large number of discourse-markers.  One can study and master them through extensive study of language and literature.  Proper choice of markers will make our discourse effective.

 

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H M Patel Institute of English Training & Research, Vallabh Vidyanagar - 388120, Gujarat, India

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