• Explain how and why to use different rhetorical styles
• Examine the purpose, structure, and style of an argumentative essay
• Describe techniques for writing comparison essays
• Describe techniques for showing cause and effect
• Describe techniques for illustrating a point

One of the trickier types of writing assignments is cause-and-effect essays. This is because there is often a lot of nuance in the way causes and effects are stated and related to each other.

Breaking Down Cause and Effect Assignments

Writers often use cause and effect to explain how and why things happen. Understanding this structure is especially useful when writing about problems, analyzing trends, or exploring consequences in subjects like science, history, and social behavior.In cause and effect writing, the cause is the reason something happens, and the effect is the result. Signal words—such as: because, so, so that, if… then, consequently, thus, since, for, for this reason, as a result of, therefore, due to, this is how, nevertheless, and accordingly. —often help identify these relationships.

Sometimes, the cause or effect is implied, requiring you to read between the lines. Effects can even lead to additional causes, creating a chain of events.

Cause and effect writing prompts will often ask the “why” question:

• Why are reality shows popular?

Sometimes they use words like analyze, connection, or relationship:

• What is the connection between greenhouse gases and climate change?
• Analyze the relationship between doing and learning

Other prompts may ask you to explain the cause-and-effect relationship. Look for the verb explain as a signal word so you answer the prompt correctly.

• Explain the effects of livestock production on climate change.

Types of cause-and-effect essays

Depending on the assignment, you may be asked to look for different kinds of cause/effect relationships:

• Stated cause/effect relationships: the relationship is stated clearly
• Unstated cause/effect relationships: you will need to make inferences or “read between the lines” to make connections in the relationship
• Reciprocal cause/effect relationships: effects may be part of a chain. In this kind of structure, one effect goes on to cause a second effect, which may then cause a third effect, etc.

Approaching the Assignment

Step 1: Look for unstated cause-and-effect relationships

In some paragraphs, the cause-and-effect relationship is not directly stated. In these cases, you will have to “read between the lines” to find the cause-and-effect relationship. Use clues from the paragraph to identify a cause-and-effect relationship.

• To find the effect, ask yourself: “What happened?”
• To find the cause, ask yourself: “Why did it happen?”

Let’s look at some examples:

• The Great Barrier Reef is threatened by global warming; the rising water temperature causes reef bleaching, making the reef less colorful and more prone to disease.
  • Reef bleaching is the effect; global warming and rising temperatures are the cause.
• I tried my hand at all of the ball sports you can imagine, including lacrosse, basketball, soccer, and softball, which is why I found myself on the track during 9th-grade tryouts.
  • In this example, the cause is implied (being bad at team sports), and the effect, or result, is trying out for track and field.

Step 2: Look for the signal words that show cause-and-effect relationships.

Step 3: Look for effects that are also causes. Effects can form a chain in which one effect goes on to cause a second effect, which may then cause a third effect, and so on. Study this example:

When people cut down trees to clear land, they destroy the habitats of birds. This reduces the number of nest sites. As a result, fewer baby birds are hatched, and the bird population declines.

• Cause 1: People cut down trees.
• Effect 1: The habitats of birds are destroyed.
• Effect 2: The number of nest sites is reduced.
• Effect 3: Fewer baby birds are hatched.
• Effect 4: The bird population declines.

Mastering cause-and-effect writing can help you explain events, analyze problems, and organize your ideas more effectively. By learning to spot implied relationships and chain reactions, you’ll be better prepared for writing tasks across a wide range of academic subjects.