CAUSE AND EFFECT

Authors use statements of cause and effect in the following ways:

1. To say that one action causes another:
(cause) The bookstore announced a special sale on textbooks yesterday.
(effect) Therefore, we rushed to the store to buy the books we needed.

2. To present reasons for an action:

(reason) I want to save money for my vacation.
(conclusion) so, I will not spend any money on the movies this week.

3. To give purposes or objectives:

for a vacation
I saved my money to go on a vacation
in order to go on a vacation
so that I could go on a vacation
4. To present conditions and results:
(condition) If I spend all my money now,
(result) I will not be able to travel next summer.

(condition) If I saved money this year,

(result) I could travel next year.

Signal words:

To introduce causes To introduce effects

as a result of as a result
because consequently
if for this reason
since so
is caused by therefore
because of thus
due to causes
owing to leads to

 EXERCISE…
1. READ THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES. UNDERLINE THE SIGNAL WORDS OF CAUSE AND
EFFECT. DECIDE WHICH PART OF THE SENTENCE IS THE CAUSE. DECIDE WHICH PART
IS THE EFFECT. (Spanish)

Example:
One effect of reduced sales of tea is reduced sales of related products such as
lemons.
Cause: Reduced sales of tea
 Effect: Reduced sales of related products such as lemons.

1. Fewer people are needed to produce food today as a result of new technology
such as fertilizers and machinery.
Cause:
Effect:

2. The productivity of American industry has increased during the twentieth

century because of improved technology and skill.
Cause:
Effect:

3. Workers may not have jobs because they do not know about job
opportunities or because the do not have the right skills for the jobs that are
available.
Cause:
Effect:

4. Workers in modern factories do one small job over and over again;
consequently, some of them feel that their jobs are boring or meaningless.
Cause:
Effect:

5. In 1929, 25 percent of the American population lived on farms. Due to

higher wages, shorter working hours, and a better social life in the city, many
Americans have left the farms to work in a city. Today less than 4 percent of
the population lives on farms.
Cause:
Effect:

THIS PATTERN IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO UNDERSTAND. THESE

SENTENCES SHOW EXAMPLES OF CAUSES AND EFFECTS.

EXAMPLE

Shoes with high heels can cause foot problems.

What is the cause of foot problems? Shoes with high heels.

What is the effect of shoes with high heels? Foot problems.
What are the signal words? Can cause.

2. FIND THE CAUSE, THE EFFECT AND THE SIGNAL MARKER IN EACH SENTENCE.
(Spanish)

1. Exercise can make you hungry and thirsty.

Cause:_________________________________________________________
Effect:_________________________________________________________
Signal word:____________________________________________________

2. Many car accidents happen because of ice and snow on the road.

Cause:_________________________________________________________
Effect:_________________________________________________________
Signal word:____________________________________________________

3. Bad food and not enough sleep are two reasons for bad health.

Cause:_________________________________________________________
Effect:_________________________________________________________
Signal word:____________________________________________________

4. Many doctors today believe that smoking cigarettes may lead to cancer.

Cause:_________________________________________________________
Effect:_________________________________________________________
Signal word:____________________________________________________

5. Some people become nervous because of drinking coffee.

Cause:_________________________________________________________
Effect:_________________________________________________________
Signal word:____________________________________________________