Abstract:
Writing practices in academic texts have piqued the interest of academics worldwide.
Educators teaching English as a second language (ESL) have endeavoured to address writing
difficulties their learners encounter. However, not much attention has been drawn to cohesion
in writing in Lesotho. This study aimed to investigate grammatical cohesion in Grade 10
learners’ academic texts at two selected schools in Maseru. Based on the qualitative research
design, the study adopted semi-structured interviews, diagnostic tests and documentary sources
for data collection to achieve the overarching aim of the study.
The study has, therefore, identified various cohesive devices used by students, such as
references and conjunctions. Specifically, using the aforementioned instruments to collect oral
and written data from the target participants, this study discovered that personal references
were the most frequently used types of references and additive conjunctions were also often
employed by students from both schools. The usages identified include systematic salient
patterns of redundant, missing, misused cohesive devices and zero articles by the participating
students. This study, therefore, concludes by highlighting the challenges faced by learners with
regard to cohesion and coherence in academic writing, thus calling for language practitioners
in high schools in Lesotho to reconsider their approaches to teaching cohesive devices for
enhancing students’ writing practices
