DA Module 03 How Texts Hold Together
DA Module 05 Time, Viewpoint, and Narrative Movement

Discourse Analysis Module 4: Theme, Rheme, and the Flow of Information

⚡ Module Overview

Tracing given and new information across clauses, paragraphs, and extended texts

Writers and speakers do more than choose what information to include; they decide where to place it. Clause openings orient readers and listeners, while later positions often carry information that advances the message.

The concepts of theme and rheme offer a practical way to examine this information packaging. Across a paragraph, themes may remain constant, take up information from a previous rheme, or derive from a larger organizing topic.

These patterns influence:

• processing
• emphasis
• continuity
• perceived coherence

This module asks you to:

• annotate themes and rhemes in several genres;
• distinguish theme–rheme from given–new information;
• diagram thematic progression;
• analyze marked and unmarked themes;
• revise texts whose information flow is difficult to follow.

The goal is not to enforce one preferred pattern. Instead, the goal is to understand how different patterns serve different communicative purposes and how teachers can make these choices visible to learners.

🎯 Essential Understandings

• How does the placement of information guide a reader or listener through discourse?
• How can thematic progression be analyzed and taught without reducing writing to a fixed formula?

❓ Guiding Questions

• What counts as theme and rheme in a working clause-level analysis?
• How do given and new information interact with thematic choices?
• What are constant, linear, and derived thematic progression patterns?
• How can revision improve information flow while preserving the writer’s intended emphasis?

✅ Learning Outcomes

By the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Identify topical themes and rhemes in clauses from varied genres.
2. Distinguish theme–rheme structure from the related but non-identical distinction between given and new information.
3. Diagram constant, linear, and derived thematic progression across a paragraph or short text.
4. Explain how thematic choices influence emphasis, continuity, and processing.
5. Revise a short text to improve information flow.
6. Justify revisions pedagogically rather than simply making a paragraph look more structurally regular.

🧠 Key Concepts and Vocabulary

Theme

The point of departure that orients a clause within its discourse.

Rheme

The portion of the clause in which the theme is developed.

Topical Theme

The first experiential element in the clause, often the participant, process, or circumstance being foregrounded.

Marked Theme

A less typical thematic choice that foregrounds an element such as:

• time
• place
• condition
• object

Unmarked Theme

A thematically typical choice, often the grammatical subject in a declarative clause.

Given Information

Information treated as accessible or recoverable for the audience.

New Information

Information presented as not yet active or as the main update.

Thematic Progression

The patterned movement of themes and rhemes across clauses.

Constant Progression

Successive clauses maintain the same or closely related theme.

Linear Progression

Information introduced in one rheme becomes the theme of a later clause.

Derived Progression

Several different themes develop aspects of a larger hypertheme or organizing topic.

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1️⃣ The Clause as a Message

A clause can be analyzed simultaneously as:

• grammar
• representation
• interaction
• message

Theme–rheme analysis focuses on the clause as message.

The theme is the point from which the speaker or writer launches the clause.

The rheme develops that point.

Example

The students analyzed the transcript.

• Theme: The students
• Rheme: analyzed the transcript

Theme is not identical to “topic” in the everyday sense.

A whole text may be about classroom interaction while individual clauses begin with:

• the teacher
• a question
• after several seconds
• however

Each choice establishes a local orientation.

Marked Theme Example

During the second exchange, the learner initiated repair.

Theme: During the second exchange
Rheme: the learner initiated repair

The initial time circumstance frames the interpretation before the participant and action are introduced.

Working Analytical Principle

Depending on the theoretical model, theme can include textual and interpersonal elements before the topical theme.

In this course:

1. Begin by identifying the clause’s topical point of departure.
2. Then notice connectors, modal adjuncts, or other initial elements when they contribute to organization or stance.

Consistency matters more than multiplying labels.

2️⃣ Given and New Information Are Related — Not Identical

Theme often contains given information, while rheme often contains new information.

However, this relationship is not automatic.

Given information is treated as accessible through:

• prior mention
• shared knowledge
• the situation
• inference

New information is presented as:

• the main update; or
• information that is not currently active.

A writer may deliberately place new information in theme position to:

• create contrast;

• shift perspective;

• signal a new stage;

• redirect attention.

Example

The interview produced three recurring themes.

The first theme concerned feedback.

A second pattern emerged in the peer discussions.

• The first theme is relatively given, because themes have already been introduced.
• A second pattern is new, even though it appears in theme position.

Key Principle

Do not automatically equate:

Theme = Given

or

Rheme = New

Instead ask:

• What does the writer assume is already accessible?
• What information is being presented as the important update?
• Where is attention being directed?

3️⃣ Major Patterns of Thematic Progression

A. Constant Progression

Several clauses return to the same theme or participant.

Example

Discourse analysis examines language in context.
It considers connected texts.
It also investigates social action.

Pattern:

Theme A → Theme A → Theme A

This can create clarity when describing one concept.

Possible risk: monotony or insufficient development.

B. Linear Progression

Information introduced in one rheme becomes the theme of the next clause.

Example

The class analyzed a service encounter.
The encounter contained an indirect complaint.
That complaint prompted a repair sequence.

Pattern:

Theme A → Rheme B
Theme B → Rheme C
Theme C → Rheme D

This creates a sense of forward movement and can help readers follow complex explanations.

C. Derived Progression

Several different themes develop aspects of a larger hypertheme.

For example, a paragraph about spoken discourse might develop:

• planning
• turn-taking
• prosody
• contextual dependence

Pattern:

Hypertheme

• Theme A
• Theme B
• Theme C
• Theme D

This pattern is common in classification and overview passages.

Remember

Real texts often combine patterns.

A paragraph may:

• maintain a constant topic;
• use a linear chain to explain a process;
• shift to a derived subtopic.

The purpose of diagramming is not simply to assign labels. It is to explain how the progression supports the genre and communicative purpose.

4️⃣ Diagnosing Information-Flow Problems

A text may feel jumpy when every sentence introduces a new theme without connecting it to active information.

A text may feel repetitive when a constant theme is maintained too mechanically.

A text may also overload the reader when long themes contain too much new information before the main clause develops.

Theme–rheme analysis is therefore a diagnostic lens, not a universal scoring system.

Questions for Diagnosis

Ask:

• What progression does the paragraph seem to need?
• Is the paragraph explaining a sequence?
• Is it describing dimensions of a concept?
• Is it presenting an argument?
• Are referents easy to recover?
• Does each sentence connect to something already active?
• Is an unexpected theme purposeful?

Possible Revisions

Revision may involve:

• changing clause order;
• repeating a key noun;
• replacing a vague pronoun;
• combining sentences;
• adding a framing sentence;
• moving a circumstance into initial position;
• dividing an overloaded clause.

Revision Principle

Do not revise simply because a diagram looks more symmetrical.

Justify changes in relation to:

audience processing + communicative purpose + intended emphasis

5️⃣ Pedagogical Applications

Theme–rheme analysis can support both reading and writing when introduced through concrete tasks.

Learners can:

• underline clause openings in a model paragraph;

• discuss what each opening asks the reader to keep in mind;

• reorder scrambled sentences using information flow;

• compare two versions of a paragraph;

• explain which version is easier to process and why.

Theme-Only Outline

During drafting, write only the planned themes or sentence openings.

Then ask:

• Does the paragraph sustain a topic?
• Does it create a chain?
• Does it shift unpredictably?
• Can readers anticipate what comes next?

Peer Review

Readers can mark the points where they lose the thread and identify the referent or information they expected to encounter next.

Pedagogical Caution

Do not require every paragraph to follow one thematic progression.

Genres differ, and multilingual writers may use rhetorical resources that differ from institutional expectations.

The goal is expanded choice, not rigid conformity.

6️⃣ Progression-Based Revision Protocol

Use a paragraph containing approximately six to eight clauses.

Create a table with:

Clause	Theme	Rheme	Information Status
1			Given / New / Contrastive
2
3
4
5
6

Then:

1. Draw connections when information from a rheme becomes a later theme.
2. Read the paragraph aloud while looking only at the Theme column.
3. Ask whether the sequence provides a recognizable route.
4. Read only the Rheme column.
5. Ask whether the rhemes develop the themes or merely repeat information.
6. Select no more than three revisions.
7. Compare the original and revised progression.
8. Explain the purpose of each revision.

Possible revisions include:

• reordering clauses;
• replacing a vague pronoun;
• repeating a key noun;
• moving a time circumstance into initial position;
• dividing an overloaded clause.

Objective: intentional information flow — not perfect structural regularity.

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📚 Lexical Cohesion Review

The module also includes review material on lexical cohesion.

The main distinction between grammatical and lexical cohesion is where the connection comes from:

• Grammatical cohesion relies primarily on grammatical resources and structural relationships.

• Lexical cohesion relies on relationships among words and meanings.

Repetition

The same lexical item is repeated.

Example:
The student asked a question.
The student wanted clarification.

Synonymy

Similar meanings connect parts of the text.

Example:
The teacher entered the room.
The instructor began the lesson.

Antonymy

Opposite meanings create a lexical relationship.

Example:
Some students found the test easy, while others found it difficult.

Hyponymy

A more specific item belongs to a broader category.

Examples:

• rose → flower
• laptop → computer
• dog → animal

Hypernymy

A more general term represents a broader category.

Examples:

• animal → dog, cat, horse
• vehicle → car, bus, motorcycle

Collocation

Words are connected through their tendency to occur together in a particular context.

Examples:

• borrow books
• take notes
• conduct research
• study for exams

📖 Lexical Cohesion Sample Text

The university library is an important place for many students. Every day, students visit the library to read, study, and complete assignments. These learners often use different resources, including books, journals, dictionaries, and databases, to find information for their classes. Some areas of the library are very quiet, while other spaces can become noisy when groups work together. The building also contains different types of furniture, such as desks, tables, chairs, and bookshelves, that help students work comfortably. During busy weeks, many students borrow books, take notes, conduct research, and study for exams. Because these activities and resources are closely connected with academic study, the library plays an important role in university life.

Answer Key

Repetition

• library → library → library
• students → students → students

Antonymy

• quiet ↔ noisy

Hypernymy

• resources
• furniture

Hyponymy

• books, journals, dictionaries, databases → resources
• desks, tables, chairs, bookshelves → furniture

Collocation

• borrow books
• take notes
• conduct research
• study for exams

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🧩 Understanding Theme and Rheme in Academic Writing

Sample Text

The university library is one of the busiest places on campus. The library provides quiet study areas, computers, and group rooms for students. During exam week, the library stays open until midnight so students have more time to study. A new tutoring center has also opened beside the main entrance. In this center, students can receive help with writing, mathematics, and study skills. These services make the library an important place for students who need academic support.

Identify the Themes

1. The university library
2. The library
3. During exam week
4. A new tutoring center
5. In this center
6. These services

🔗 Basic Theme–Rheme Structure

Text

The students analyzed the interview transcript.
The transcript contained several examples of repair.
These examples revealed how the speakers solved communication problems.

Analysis

Clause 1

• Theme: The students
• Rheme: analyzed the interview transcript

Clause 2

• Theme: The transcript
• Rheme: contained several examples of repair

Clause 3

• Theme: These examples
• Rheme: revealed how the speakers solved communication problems

Notice how information introduced in one rheme becomes available for use as a later theme.

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🗣️ Class Discussion: Unmarked vs. Marked Themes

Text

The researchers interviewed twenty university students. During the second interview, several participants mentioned difficulties with academic writing. In the final question, the researchers asked students to suggest possible solutions.

Analysis

The researchers
→ unmarked theme

The grammatical subject occupies the expected initial position.

During the second interview
→ marked theme

In the final question
→ marked theme

These circumstances occur first so that readers know how to frame the information that follows.

Key Takeaway

A marked theme is not merely unusual word order.

It can deliberately foreground:

• time
• place
• condition
• circumstance

before introducing the main participant or action.

🧠 Given and New Information Practice

Text

The class identified three problems with the textbook dialogue.

The first problem was the absence of natural hesitation.

Another important issue was the lack of overlapping speech.

A completely different problem appeared in the final exchange.

Explanation

The first problem refers back to three problems, so it represents relatively given information appearing in theme position.

A completely different problem introduces something new while simultaneously functioning as the theme of the clause.

Key Takeaway

Theme does not automatically mean “old information.”

Rheme does not automatically mean “new information.”

Writers can deliberately introduce new information as theme when they want to announce a shift or redirect attention.

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✏️ Practice 1: Language-Learning Center

Text

A new language-learning center opened on campus last month. The center offers tutoring, conversation practice, and online resources for students. In the main study area, learners can work individually or meet with a tutor. Several pronunciation workshops are also available every week. During the evening, the center becomes especially busy because many students visit after their classes. These activities have made the center a popular place for students who want extra language practice.

Your Task

Identify:

• unmarked themes
• marked themes
• rhemes
• given information (GI)
• new information (NI)

Then determine whether you can identify evidence of:

• constant progression
• linear progression
• derived progression

✏️ Practice 2: Farmers' Market

Text

Last Saturday, a local farmers’ market opened in the town square. The market attracted families, students, and visitors from nearby neighborhoods. At the market, vendors sold fresh fruit, vegetables, bread, and homemade products. A small music stage was also set up near the entrance. In front of the stage, several families stopped to listen to a local band. These performances created a lively atmosphere throughout the afternoon. Before sunset, the market closed and the vendors began packing their remaining products.

Your Task

Identify:

• unmarked themes
• marked themes
• rhemes
• given information (GI)
• new information (NI)

Then trace how information moves from one sentence to the next.

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🔍 Module Review: What Should You Be Able to Notice?

Before finishing Module 4, check whether you can answer yes to the following:

• Can I identify the theme of a clause?
• Can I identify its rheme?
• Can I distinguish a marked from an unmarked theme?
• Can I explain why a writer might choose a marked theme?
• Can I distinguish theme/rheme from given/new information?
• Can I recognize constant thematic progression?
• Can I recognize linear thematic progression?
• Can I recognize derived thematic progression?
• Can I explain how these patterns affect coherence?
• Can I diagnose a paragraph whose information flow is difficult to follow?
• Can I revise that paragraph without assuming there is only one “correct” progression?
• Can I explain the pedagogical reason for my revision?

🧭 Final Takeaway

Theme–rheme analysis is a way of noticing how discourse moves.

Instead of asking only:

Is this sentence grammatically correct?

also ask:

Where does the writer begin?

What does the reader already know?

What information is being advanced?

What does one sentence prepare us to encounter next?

The goal is not to make every paragraph follow the same pattern. The goal is to make information flow visible, interpretable, and teachable.