Analysing coherence in upper-intermediate learner writing

Previous studies on coherence and cohesion in learner writing indicate that the relationship between the two is not as straightforward as teaching practice seems to suggest. To allow for a meaning-focused analysis of coherence in learner writing, this paper presents a multi-perspective approach which incorporates (1) holistic coherence ratings, (2) logical relations which exist between parts of a text, and (3) cohesive elements. The focus of this paper is on the use of Rhetorical Structure Theory (RST) for the analysis of logical relations in learner writing. A corpus of 20 learner essays is analysed to examine the applicability of RST for the description of coherence structures in learner writing.