AN ANALYSIS OF TEXT APPROPRIATENESS FOR ENGLISH PRÉCIS AND READING COMPREHENSION IN PAKISTANI COMPETITIVE EXAMINATION PAPERS BASED ON ONE COH- METRIX CONNECTIVE INDEX

Abstract

This study analyzes the appropriateness of texts used in English précis and reading comprehension sections of Pakistani competitive examination papers through a selected Coh- Metrix connective index. Since English is a second language for most candidates, cohesive features play a vital role in facilitating comprehension. Using a discourse-based analytical approach, the study examines how logical connectives contribute to textual coherence and readability. The findings reveal that texts with balanced connective usage enhance comprehension and support effective précis writing, whereas inadequate or excessive connectives increase cognitive load. The study further demonstrates that the Coh-Metrix connective index offers a more meaningful evaluation of text suitability than traditional readability measures, which focus mainly on surface-level features. The research emphasizes the value of cohesion-based tools for ensuring fairness and validity in competitive examination text selection.