IBAT IBANG BAHAGI NG SANHI AT BUNGA

1. CAUSE AND EFFECT

2. OBJECTIVES
• At the end of the lesson, you will be able to
identify and use cause and effect as a
pattern of development in writing.
• What subjects usually require you to
explain the reasons or causes of a certain
event or action?
• How do you present cause-and-effect
relationships of ideas in writing?

3. Learn about it!
Cause and Effect
A cause is simply “why something
happens,” and an effect is “what happens.”
Together, they can be used as a pattern of
development in writing.
With the cause-and-effect pattern, the writer
can explain how an event or action leads to
another.

4. The following words can be used to signal
cause and effect:
as a result
accordingly
because of (this)
due to (this)
consequently
hence/therefore/thus

5. There are three different ways to
use the cause-and-effect pattern in
writing:
•Cause to effect
•Effect to cause
•Consecutive cause and effect

6. Cause to Effect
•The cause, which can be an event
or action, can be stated right at the
beginning of a paragraph, followed
by sentences stating the effects.
This type of organization is best
for explaining a single cause with
different effects.

8. Example
• Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning
caused by Salmonella enterica
bacterium. People who are infected with
such illness experience abdominal cramps,
fever, and diarrhea. Consequently, they
suffer from severe dehydration, vomiting,
headaches, and body aches. Furthermore,
salmonellosis can lead to complications,
such as Reiter’s syndrome (reactive
arthritis) and focal infection.

9. Explanation
• The topic sentence right at the beginning of
the paragraph defines salmonellosis, the
cause. Then the rest of the sentences
enumerate the effects of the illness. The
words consequently and furthermore are
used to connect the ideas between
sentences.

10. Effect to Cause
The effect can be stated at the
beginning of the text, followed by
sentences and paragraphs that
expound on the causes. This type
of organization is best for
presenting a single effect with
different causes.

12. Example
Global warming, the increase of Earth’s average
surface temperature, is happening. One of its
major causes is the buildup of greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere. Those gases trap heat in the
atmosphere, which keeps the Earth warm.
However, burning fossil fuels like coal, oil, and
natural gas produces more carbon dioxide, a
greenhouse gas, in the atmosphere. Thus, more
heat is trapped in the atmosphere, and the Earth
gets warmer than usual.

13. Another major cause of the global
warming is deforestation. When forests
are burned, large amounts of carbon
are released into the atmosphere.
Likewise, when trees are cut down,
much carbon dioxide from living things,
some of which is absorbed by the
trees, goes to the atmosphere.

14. •Moreover, nitrogen-based fertilizers
are contributing to global warming.
They are used in farming to stimulate
microbes in the soil. At a very fast rate,
the microbes convert nitrogen to
nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas that
can trap more heat than carbon
dioxide can. Also, it destroys the
ozone, Earth’s defense from ultraviolet
light.

15. Explanation
•The first sentence of the first
paragraph states the effect, which is
the main idea of the entire text. Then it
is followed by the statement of the first
cause and its supporting information.
The second and third causes are
stated and explained in the next two
paragraphs.

16. Consecutive Cause and Effect
•In this type of organization, the
causes, each with its
corresponding effect, are tackled
one by one in a few sentences or
a paragraph. The writer explains
each cause and effect completely
before moving on to the next
cause and effect.

18. Example
• American women gained status during World War
II. Many of them took over men’s jobs in factories
and farms as men enlisted into the military. As a
result, they learned new skills and experienced
work outside of the home. Also, women were
allowed to serve in the military following the
bombing of Pearl Harbor, so they felt the pride of
being in the military service. Lastly, because of
the absence of men, women made decisions for
themselves and their families.

19. Explanation
• The first sentence states the main idea of the
paragraph. Then the next two sentences give the
first supporting information, the second sentence
stating the cause and the third, the effect. The
other supporting information is stated in the rest
of the sentences in the same pattern. Notice the
use of signal words as a result and so to indicate
an outcome, and because of and so to signify a
cause.

20. Key Points
• A cause tells why something happens, while
an effect describes what happens.
• The writer can use the cause-and-effect pattern of
development to explain how an event or action leads to
another.
• There are three ways to use the cause-and-effect pattern
in writing: (1) cause to effect manner to discuss a single
cause with different effects; (2) effect to cause manner to
discuss a single effect with different causes; and
(3) consecutive cause and effect manner to discuss a
cause and its effect completely before moving on to the
next cause and effect.