Cause-and-Effect-Paragraph

Cause and Effect
Paragraph

EN2204-1141 Paragraph Writing

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

What is cause and effect

A cause is what makes something happens. To find the cause,
you need to ask yourself, “What happened first?”
An effect is what happens because of something else (the cause).
To find the effect, you need to ask yourself, “What happened
second?”

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Cause: Effect:

Why something happens Why happens as a result

It started raining so I need an umbrella.

➢ What happens first? It started raining (This is the cause)
➢ What happens second? I need an umbrella (This is the effect)
➢ The clue is so

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

The baby was crying, so Dad picked him up.

➢ What happens first? The baby was crying (This is the cause)
➢ What happens second? Dad picked him up. (This is the effect)
➢ The clue is so

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

What is cause and effect paragraph

A cause and effect paragraph is one which shows either the
reasons or the results of something. A paragraph giving causes
answers the question, “Why does/did this happen?” A paragraph
giving effects answers the question, “What are/were the results
of this?”.

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Step for writing the cause and effect paragraph

01 As you know, your writing should begin with some brainstorming. Think about your topic.
Use a mind map to start to collect some ideas.

02 Make a plan for your paragraph.

03 Write your first draft. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect at this stage; just get
your ideas on paper. Have you recognized and indicated that causes or effects are rarely
straightforward, and that there may be complicated factors at work? Make sure you
have included enough detail.

04 Revise your draft. Use words like Firstly, Secondly, and Finally to introduce your various
points.

05 Edit your paragraph and write your final draft. Now that your ideas are in place, you can
focus on grammar, spelling, word choice, and punctuation.

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Reasons for writing a cause and effect

To understand a situation
To solve a problem
To predict an outcome
To entertain
To persuade

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Patterns of organization
Multiple causes – one effect

Focus on the reasons or causes

Cause

Cause Effect

Cause

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

One cause – multiple effects

the focus of the paragraph is to discuss the effect

Cause Effect
Effect
Effect

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Organizer

Shows the link between the causes and effects

Topic Cause Effect

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

Brainstorming Techniques

The cause is the reason an event happens.
The effect is the result of the cause.
You can write about the cause of an event or action.
You can write about the effect of a cause.

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

1. Listing Cause Migraine
headache
Stress
Exercising
too much
Not getting
enough sleep

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

2. Listing Effect Migraine
headache
Exhaustions
Irritable
mood
Not fresh

Meaning Steps Reasons Patterns Techniques

3. Listing Organizer

Topic Cause Effect
Migraine Stress Not fresh
headache

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

The organization of cause and effect paragraph

Organization 1: Writing about Causes
1. Topic sentence: make clear that your paragraph will discuss cause

of something.
2. Body: cause, arranged in chronological order

• Cause 1
• Cause 2
• Cause 3
3. Conclusion: restatement of effect, summary of cause - call for action

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Organization 2: Writing about Effects
1. Topic sentence: make clear that your paragraph will discuss effect of
something.
2. Body: effect, arranged in chronological order

• Effect 1
• Effect 2
• Effect 3
3. Conclusion: restatement of cause, summary of effect - call for action

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Transition for Cause and Effect Paragraph

Cause/Reason Effect/Result
For the reason that As a result (of this)
Because (of the fact)
Consequently
As Finally
Thus
Owing to (the fact) Then
Due to (the fact that)
So
In that As a consequence

Since

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Example cause and effect paragraph

Writing about Cause

Many people get into trouble just because of posting or making comments about something on
the internet. Some people think that it's just right to share their thoughts and opinions because they
have the right to free speech. The feelings of other people are not considered or don't even matter
just as long as they have said or posted what they want to. There are other people who want to
share their ideas but it turns out that it's not even their own. This would lead to possible lawsuits and
libel cases. Lastly, there are those people who don't actually think before they post or make
comments. These people would even post photos or comments that are not appropriate for other
people to see or read. Their lack of logic and reason makes them look foolish. These are the reasons
why people should have the sense of responsibility when using the internet. Otherwise, they would
end up humiliated or even put in jail.

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Cause Effect

Some people think that it's just right Getting trouble of posting or
to share their thoughts and opinions making comments on internet.
because they have the right to free
speech.

Cause

There are other people who want to
share their ideas but it turns out that
it's not even their own.

Cause

These people would even post photos
or comments that are not appropriate
for other people to see or read.

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Writing about Effect

Pollution which is one of the biggest problems facing the world today has many effects on human
life. First of all, pollution is bad for people's health. For example, smog, caused by car's exhaust
fumes and factory emissions, can lead to lung diseases in humans. Also, food and water can be
polluted by poisonous chemicals, and this can cause cancer in the people who consume them.
Another effect of pollution is the destruction of human habitat. Thus, an oil spill can make an area
where people previously lived uninhabitable. Another example is the nuclear disaster in Fukushima,
Japan, which made it impossible for people to live in a large area around the site of the explosion.
Finally, pollution can also have a negative effect on people's psychology. People who live in a clean,
unspoilt landscape like the Swiss Alps will tend to be more positively affected by their environment
than people who live in a polluted, rubbish-strewn city such as London. To sum up, pollution has
many negative effects on the lives of humans.

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Effect

Bad for people's health

Cause Effect

Pollution has many effects on human life The destruction of human habitat

Effect

Negative effect on people's psychology

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Writing of Organizer

The high levels of divorce have had many effects on children, women and even the men. The
biggest effect is on children. Children of divorced parents often have social or emotional problems.
For instance, they may face difficulties due to the lack of support or care at home. They may even
have problems with their friends at school. Secondly, women are also affected. As a result of divorce,
women may feel insecure and helpless. Thus, they suffer from depression. Thirdly, men, of course,
are also affected. As a consequence of divorce, they may lose social interaction with their friends.
They may also suffer from financial problems as a result of the divorce. In addition, they may have
problems dealing with their children. In conclusion, divorce is a serious issue with major effects for
children, women, men and thus society.

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Topic Main idea Cause Effect

The high level The biggest effect The lack of support Children of divorced
of divorce is on children. or care at home. parents often have
social or emotional
Main idea Cause
problems. For
Women are also feel insecure and instance, they may
affected. helpless.
face difficulties
Main idea Cause
Effect
Men are also Suffering from
affected. financial problems They suffer from
as a result of the depression.

divorce. Effect

Losing social
interaction with their

friends and have
problems dealing with

their children.

Conclusion

Cause and effect paragraph describe the underlying
causes and/or the major effects of a situation or event.
A cause and effect essay usually follows one of three
possible approaches:
Causes: Describe the factors that cause a certain
situation, event, or problem to happen.
Effects: Describe the effects that are caused by a
certain situation, event, or problem.
Both: Describe the causes and effects of a situation.

The purpose of these paragraph varies with each
assignment. In some cases, the purpose is only to
inform as if you needed to describe the causes of “the
Great Depression.” In other cases, the purpose is to
persuade an audience to avoid certain causes that lead
to negative effects, such as “effects of smoking.”

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Exercise 1

Direction: finding cause and effect

1. A tornado blew the roof off the house, and as a result, the
family had to find another place to live.

Cause:_______________________________________
Effect:_______________________________________

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

2. Because the alarm was not set, we were late for work.
Cause:_______________________________________
Effect:_______________________________________

3. John made a rude comment, so Elise hit him.
Cause:_______________________________________
Effect:_______________________________________

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

Exercise 2

Direction: finding cause and effect, what kind of brainstorming,
and drawing it below the paragraph

1. There are many theories about why the dinosaurs vanished from
the planet. One theory that many people believe is that a gigantic
meteorite smashed into the Earth. Scientists believe that the
meteorite was very big and that the impact may have produced a
large dust cloud that covered the Earth for many years. The dust
cloud may have caused plants to not receive sunlight and the large
plant eaters, or herbivores, may have died off, followed by the large
meat eaters, or carnivores. This theory may or may not be true, but it
is one explanation as to why these giant reptiles no longer inhabit the
Earth.

Organization Transition Examples Conclusion Exercises

2. A fresh water shortage is changing the way Californians live and
do business. California's fresh water is in short supply due to a record
drought and rising temperatures. As a result, the state's government
enforced restrictions on water usage for cities and residents. Farmers
have been forced to use costly groundwater reserves to grow crops.
Snowless mountains have hurt the tourism industry, especially ski
resorts. Meanwhile, drying forests increase the chances of dangerous
wildfires. Without rain, Californians must continue to take measures
to conserve fresh water.

Group members

1. Fadilla Nareepen 632424043
2. Muhibbah Yunuh 632424051
3. Yasmeen Salaeh 632424052
4. Ameeroh Hayeemamaing 632424075
5. Areekah Duerama 632424076
6. Haneen Konrasee 632424081
7. Asnan Tehkaree 622445053

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