A great deal of university subject matter is concerned with establishing cause and effect or the relationship that exists between events, objects, variables or states of affairs. As a result, this is a common question type of the TOEFL. Cause and effect is often described using conjunctions like because, prepositions like due to and because of, and adverbs like therefore and consequently. These words can make the cause-effect relationship clear, but it is equally important to know the noun and verb structures that can serve the same purpose. Pay particular attention to the prepositions they are used with.
Cause and Effect
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
Open the exercise to begin the activity. Follow the instructions in the document.