You will improve the "flow" of your sentences and make your paragraphs more coherent if you use the following four techniques:
1. Transitional devices
Connect your points and ideas by emphasizing the relationship between them. By using transitional words to stress the relationship, you help your reader to understand how each new point relates to what has just been stated.
To emphasize continuation: besides, furthermore, in addition, moreover, next, to continue.
To stress a contrast: however, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, yet.
To indicate a result: consequently, hence, in conclusion, so, then, therefore, thus.
Thus, in the perspective of biology, war first dwindles to the status of a rare curiosity. Further probing, however, makes it loom larger again. For one thing, it is a form of intra-specific struggle, and as such may be useless or even harmful to the whole. Then we find that one of the very few animal species that make war is man.... (Julian Huxley)
2. Key terms
Sometimes you may repeat yourself--without becoming repetitious.
When you wish to be completely clear (and to emphasize your thought), try using the same words when you refer to the same concepts.
We have witnessed widespread changes on society in the lives of women. These changes from the earlier status quo have been hard won and accompanied by controversy. We are still in the midst of change and controversy. For example, we have won recognition of the principles of equality in legal and nonlegal areas. However, we must still work hard at translating these principles into particular actions and, since change comes hard, we can expect more controversy. (M. McBee and K. Blake)
3. Hook-and-eye links
Just like the fasteners with the same name, "hook" words which begin a sentence can fasten an idea to the "eye" words of a previous sentence. The connection will keep the whole thought together in a smooth, comprehensible flow.
He could hardly wait to get under the shower. A gushing downburst of hot, soothing water would relax his aching muscles and tired mind.
4. Parallel repeats
Another helpful--not redundant--type of repeat is the grammatical pattern. A pattern may be repeated within a sentence, through a series of sentences, or even through whole paragraphs. Note in the following how the repeated sentence patterns create very direct and coherent paragraphs:
Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell. (William Strunk, Jr., and E. B. White, Elements of Style)
A speaker commands resources of expression far richer than those of a writer. He can reinforce particular points by giving special emphasis of voice and intonation to them; he can make use of facial gestures. He can play tricks with his hands and fingers, opening and shutting them, waving them up and down and sideways. If he is near enough to his victim, he can even nudge him to drive home a specially important sally, although modern ideas of good manners tend to look on this practice as low-bred. (Adapted from Hugh Sykes Davies, Grammar Without Tears)
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