Cause & Effect

2.1 Definition of Cause & Effect Relationship

A cause and effect relationship is when something happens that makes something else happen. In other words, the cause creates the effect. Cause and effect is a relationship between events or things, where one is the result of the other. This is a combination of action and reaction.

2.2 Characteristics of Cause & Effect

There are many characteristics of Cause and Effect. These characteristics make the different between Cause and Effect.

The characteristics of Cause are

1.      The reason or motive, for an action.

Every action or event must be has the reason or motive that make the action or event happen.

2.      Why something happens.

To find a cause, we can use the question sentence “why did this happen?”

3.      Happens first.

The cause happens first because it tell us an event before another event.

The characteristics of Effect are

1.      Result or conclusion of an action.

After the action or event, there are the result from that action.

2.      What happened.

To find an effect, we can use the question sentence “what happened?”

3.      Happens due to a cause.

The effect happens after a cause, or in other words, happens due to a cause, because it tell the action or event after the another action.

2.3 Signal Words of Cause & Effect

To make a cause and effect sentence, we can use the signal word to connect the cause and the effect. There are two types of signal words for cause-effect relationship, the cause signal words and the effect signal words.

1.      Cause Signal Words.

This signal words use to give information about a cause of an event. It usually use in effect-cause sentence pattern.

Cause signal words like :

·         Because.

·         The reason for

·         On account of

·         Bring about

·         Give rise to

·         Created by

·         Contributed by

·         Led to

·         Due to

·         For this reason

·         Unless.

These are the example of cause-effect sentence that use cause signal words.

·         Sumatran tigers are almost extinct because people killed too many of them.

·         Archeologist studied artifacts because they wanted to learn about different civilizations that existed.

·         My sister was very tired because she stayed up past midnight

·         Tsunamis happen when tectonic plates shift

·         Water is formed when two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom combine

2.      Effect Signal Words.

This signal words use to give information about an effect of an event. It usually use in cause-effect sentence pattern.

Effect signal words like :

·         As a result

·         Then

·         Hence

·         For this reason

·         Therefore

·         Outcome

·         So

·         Consequently

·         Finally

·         In order to

These are the example of cause-effect sentence that use effect signal words.

·         Early man learnt to grow the food, and as a result, their lives became easier

·         There was a lot of homework and tests, as a result most of the students were unhappy and couldn’t go anywhere during the weekend

·         The green house gases trap the heat in the air, so the earth becomes warmer

·         The moon has gravitational pull, consequently the oceans have tides.

·         Betty completed each task perfectly, therefore she was promoted.

2.4 Formula of Cause & Effect

When we want to tell about cause and effect, we can use this two types of formula of cause and effect.

1.      Noun type.

This type is a cause-effect sentence that followed by a noun after its signal word. Signal words that usually use in this type is due to, because of, owing to, and thanks to. The formula of this type is

Signal words + noun

The examples of cause-effect sentence that use noun type formula are

·         Because of his hard work, he managed to get the best student award

·         Owing to her hard work and intelligence, we won the trophy.

·         Thanks to Siti and John’s effective planning, the event went well

2.      Verb type.

This type is a cause-effect sentence that followed by a verb after its signal words. Signal words that usually use in this type is because, since, as, for, and as a result of. The formula of this type is

Signal words + subject + verb

The examples of cause-effect sentence that use verb type formula are

·         Early man used weapons because they needed to find food

·         Early man slowly started to grow food, and as a result, their lives became easier

·         Since they are in love, they forgive each other’s mistakes