In English writing,the textual cohesion and coherence are often considered to be the key point ofjudging an essay. Human beings have never stopped in the exploration of discourse cohesion.

Since 1976, Cohesion in English by Halliday, M.A.K.and Hasan, R. has published, it declared that the concept of cohesion in English hadbeen firstly proposed as a study system. According to this book (1976), thereare two essential elements which serve to provide texture: structural andnon-structural relations. Thenon-structural relations can be further categorized into 5 parts within a text,such as reference, conjunction, substitution, ellipsis andlexical cohesion. (1976) As time goes by, the research of connecting word forEnglish study has been continually developed and improved. In this book (1976),linking words can be divided into four forms, including additive, causal, adversative and temporal.Based on this, quite a few studies of cohesion discussed the relationshipbetween the use of linking devices and writing quality, but the results are notconvergent. Some researchers hold that cohesive devices have nothing to do withwriting quality, including Castro (2004) examined the argumentative essayswritten by a group of L2 English Filipino college freshmen, while others foundthat there was a significant connection between cohesion and writing quality. Forexample, the study by Liu amp; Braine (2005), who examined the argumentativeessays written by Chinese undergraduate students, the research study by Zhang(2010) with Chinese college students, and the research by Yang amp; Sun(2012), who examined undergraduate Chinese EFL learners’ argumentativewritings. Furthermore, some studies suggested that there being a certainrelationship between the use of cohesion and different grade students includingW. X. Yang, amp;Y. Sun (2012).

As the research hasgradually developed, a host of experts and scholars add supplement and completeclassification to linking words. Of all linking words, the adversative word occupies a significant role in theprocess of second language acquisition（SLA）and writing quality. Recently，as far as connecting word for cohesion studies isconcerned, most scholars have attached importance to the non-English majorstudents or the gross connecting words instead of students in school of foreignlanguages and a special connective. As a matter of fact, though non-Englishmajor undergraduates in China are required to pass the College English TestBand 4 (CET-4) and have the college English class in the basic courses, they arestill not skillful in English linking words. Compared to non-English majorstudents, English majors have more advantages for their unremittingly English writingand reading in daily life. Therefore, it has its special representative instudy of cohesion in English.

Taking all the factors above into account,this paper will focus on the 50 English majors' argumentation writing fromdifferent grades, and analyze the connection between the usage of contrastive connectivesand the quality of their writing to deduce the causes of misuse and abuse byEnglish learners.

Analyzing potentialexisted problems in English majors' writing, such as the overuse and misuse of turning words, it is of great significance for thefurther study in SLA and English writing. Meanwhile, it is conducive to English learners in their awareness of discourse cohesion andconsistency of expression.

2. 研究的基本内容与方案

By using qualitativeanalysis and quantitative analysis in 50 English major students' compositions fromWuhan University of Technology, this paper seeks to dissect the characteristicsof their adversative conjunctions in order to overall grasp the learners'language level and then analyze the relationship between it and quality of argumentativewritings. In the end, some proposals will be offered via the analysis of theircorrect use or deviation.

This study will bedivided into three steps. The first step is to determine the scope of the contrastiveconnectives. According to the Halliday theory in Cohesion in English (1976), as well as some other theories, thispaper will select but, however, although, though, nevertheless, on the contrary,otherwise, while, yet, whereas, as the research point. This paper will focus on50 argumentative essays from Wuhan University of Technology and the quality ofwriting in the above words or phrases.

The second step: Thispaper will collect related datum including frequency, amount and position oftheir adversative conjunction by using the quantitative analysis andqualitative analysis.

The third step: Withthe help of consequence from the second step, this paper will explore whatrelationship between the trait of contrastive conjunctions and the quality oftheir writings. Meanwhile, the reason of misuse and abuse and some tips thenwill be given for the field of teaching English writing.

[1] Appel, R., amp;Szeib, A. Linkingadverbials in L2 English academic writing: L1-related differences[J]. System, 2018, (78): 115-129.