Writing

Level 2 Semester II Week 9: Future Careers Writing

Estimated time: 40 mins

The cause and effect essay is another common essay type, either as an essay type on its own or as part of a larger essay that includes one or more paragraphs examining causes and effects. This lesson gives information on what a cause and effect essay is, how to structure this type of essay, and how to use cause and effect structure words (transition signals) for this type of essay. Check the summary after the video for some important information!

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So far, you have discussed quite a few text patterns, among which are listing, sequence, comparison, and problem/solution. The pattern you will learn today is the fifth of the six possible patterns. Cause and effect essays look at the reasons or causes and the results or effects of something. Another term for cause and effect essay is therefore reason and result essay. Sometimes with this essay type, we might look at both causes and effects but it’s also possible to have an essay that looks only at the causes of something or only the effects of something. The video below will outline the main characteristics of such a type of essay.

Watch!

Cause and Effect Essays

There are two main ways to structure a cause/effect essay. These are similar to the ways to structure problem-solution essays, namely using a block or a chain structure.

block structure, all of the causes are listed first, and all of the effects are listed afterward.
chain structure, each cause is followed immediately by the effect. Usually, that effect will then be the cause of the next effect, which is why this structure is called a ‘chain’.

Both types of structure have their merits. The former is generally clearer, especially for shorter essays, while the latter ensures that any effects you present relate directly to the causes you have given. The two types of structure, block and chain, are shown in the diagram below.

Cause and Effect Structure Words

Cause and effect structure words are transition signals which show the cause and effect relationships. It is important to be clear about which is the cause (or reason) and which is the effect (or result) and to use the correct transition word or phrase. Remember that a cause happens first, and the effect happens later. Below are some common cause-and-effect structure words. X is used to indicate a cause, while Y is used to indicate the effect.

Cause	Effect
The first cause of (Y) is (X) The next reason is (X) Because of (X), (Y) As a result of (X), (Y) As a consequence of (X), (Y) because/since/as (X) to result from (X) (X) results in (Y) to be the result of (X) (Y) is due to (X) Owing to (X), (Y) (Y) is because of (X) (Y) is the effect of (X) (Y) is the consequence of (X)	The first effect of (X) is (Y) Another result of (X) is (Y) As a result, (Y) As a consequence, (Y) Consequently (Y) Therefore, (Y) Thus (Y) Hence (Y) (X) results in (Y) (X) causes (Y) (X) has an effect on (Y) (X) affects (Y) (X) is one of the causes of (Y) (X) is the reason for (Y)
Examples	Examples
Worsening pollution levels in cities are due to the increased use of cars. Because of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening. As a result of the increased use of cars, pollution levels in cities are worsening. The effect of the increased use of cars is a worsening of pollution levels in cities.	Cars are used increasingly for urban transport. As a consequence, pollution levels in cities are worsening. Increased use of cars for urban transport adversely affects pollution levels in cities. Increased use of cars for urban transport is one of the causes of worsening pollution levels in cities.

Source: EAP Foundation

Practice!

The success of a cause/effect essay depends largely on the transition words you use. Follow this link to help you practice different words and phrases expressing cause and effect.

Worksheet

Download the worksheet for this lesson here.

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Level 2 Semester II