Much academic study is concerned with establishing cause and effect or the relationship that exists between events, objects, variables or states of affairs. Cause and effect is often described using conjunctions like because, prepositions like due to and because of and adverbs like therefore and consequently.

In this unit, however, we focus on nouns and verbs relating to cause and effect. Pay particular attention to the prepositions they are used with.

Verbs relating to cause and effect:

You are probably already familiar with these verbs relating to cause and effect:

  • make
  • cause
  • create
  • do
  • produce
  • force

Here are some other useful verbs:

  • Her grandmother influenced / had a considerable influence on Sarah's choice of career.
  • Parental attitude largely determines how well a child adapts to school.
    (is the main factor affecting)
  • The teacher motivated them to work hard.
    (made them want to do something positive)
  • The flow of traffic through the town is facilitated by the one-way system.
    (made easier)
  • The speech provoked an angry response.
    (caused, usually something negative)
  • The explosion was triggered by the heat.
    (started, usually something sudden and negative)
  • The tilting of the earth on its axis accounts for the change in the seasons.
    (explains)
  • Sid's determination springs / stems from his desire to improve the world.
    (is the result of)
  • The country's victory gave rise to a new mood in society.
  • The mobile phone contributed to the information revolution.
    (was one factor influencing)
  • The child was given drugs to stimulate growth.
    (cause something to develop or function)
  • The exhibition generated a lot of interest.
    (aroused, caused to exist)
  • The drugs may induce nausea.
    (cause, often used in a medical context)
  • The teacher's presence inhibited the teenagers' discussion.
    (prevented it from being as free as it might otherwise have been)
  • A number of benefits can be derived from this situation.
    (gained as a result)

Nouns relating to cause and effect:

Noun Example Meaning / Comment
chain reaction The incident started a chain reaction that caused a lot of trouble. set of related events in which each one causes the next one
consequence The war had major consequences. results
effect / impact The effect / impact of the film on the audience was very powerful. influence
end Does the end justify the means? note how end here means aim
origin / source The accident was the origin / source of her later problems. beginning or cause
outcome We hope for a positive outcome to the discussions. result or effect of an action
precedent There are several precedents for taking such a decision. something that already happened and provides a reason for doing the same
reason What was the reason for his success / why he succeeded? note how reason is often followed by for or why

Exercise

Please open the exercise to continue.

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