Sample Cause-Effect Paragraph

Paragraph A
EC 2023-1

What Causes People to Be Truly Happy

There are two main causes of true happiness: one is maintaining a harmonious

relationship with loved ones and the other is experiencing unhappiness. First, people can only

be truly happy by maintaining a harmonious relationship with loved ones. People cannot be

happy unless they connect with each other because they are social animals. Furthermore,

those who are closest to a person gives moral support in times of need. For example, parents,

a partner, or friends sympathize as well as give much needed advice. Through these key

relationships, people can also learn to be considerate and to form strong bonds, which will

then help to make others around them happy as well. Secondly, people can learn about true

happiness by experiencing unhappiness. Experiencing unhappiness makes them aware of the

existence of happiness. If there is no concept of hunger, loneliness, and poverty, it would be

impossible to feel happy when eating a delicious meal, meeting a close friend, or earning

money. Happiness comes into bloom in the soil of unhappiness, and unhappiness makes it

possible to learn how to be thankful for small blessings. For example, if a person has not

eaten in a few days, he or she will be very grateful for a meal. In conclusion, people can

experience true happiness through building relationships with those closest to them and

through painful circumstances in their lives.

Read the paragraph above and answer the questions. (6 points)

1. What is the topic of this paragraph?

a. People’s different ideas of happiness
b. The effects of happiness
c. The causes of happiness
d. Different ways to become happier
Sample Cause-Effect Paragraph
Paragraph A
EC 2023-1
2. How many supporting points are discussed in this paragraph?
a. 1
b. 2
c. 3
d. 4

3. “For example, if a person has not eaten in a few days, he or she will be very grateful
for a meal.” This sentence is a…
a. Supporting point sentence
b. Detail sentence
c. Concluding sentence
d. None of the above

4. What do you think is the purpose of the words, “first” and “secondly”?
a. To transition from one point to another
b. To show the reader which information is most important
c. To make the paragraph interesting
d. To conclude the paragraph

5. What two-word phrase tells the reader that the writer is ending the paragraph?
_____ In conclusion _____
6. Which of the following is true of a concluding sentence?
a. It is an unnecessary sentence.
b. It provides new, important information.
c. It is the most important sentence in the paragraph.
d. It restates the topic sentence using different words.