GRAMMAR CHART: Cause and Effect

Cause and Effect

There are certain words and phrases that can be used to link ideas and to
express cause and effect. In compound sentences, these words and phrases
show the connection between the reason for an event or a situation (the cause)
and the influence this event or situation has on people, places, or things (the
effect or result).
1. Because, because of, since, and Many animals are losing their homes
due to are used to introduce a clause and food because / since the rain
that expresses a cause. forest is disappearing.

2. Sentences with these expressions
can be organized in two different ways:
The clause that expresses the cause
can come either before or after the
effect.
Many animals are losing their homes
and food due to / because of the
disappearance of the rain forest.

3. When the clause expressing the Because the rain forest is

cause comes at the beginning of a disappearing, many animals are
sentence, use a comma to separate losing their homes and food.
the clause from the effect.

4. A complete clause (noun + verb) We are losing possible new medicines

must follow because and since. A noun verb
noun phrase must follow because of because / since the rain forest is
and due to. disappearing.

We are losing possible new medicines

1. As a result, so, therefore, and
consequently are used to introduce a
clause that expresses an effect. One
exception is as a result, which can
appear at the end of the clause.
due to / because of
noun
the disappearance of the rain forest.
Medicines are made from rain forest
plants, so we need to protect the rain
forest.

2. The effect clause must always come

after the cause.

3. A comma always follows the Medicines are made from rain forest
expressions as a result, therefore, plants; as a result / therefore /
and consequently. There is not consequently, we need to protect
comma if as a result appears at the the rain forest.
Academic Connections 1, Teacher’s Notes UNIT 2 11
Copyright © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
end of a clause.
4. You may combine the cause and
effect clauses with a semicolon
(consequently / therefore / as a result)
or a comma (so). You can also
separate the cause and the effect into
two sentences.
Academic Connections 1, Teacher’s Notes UNIT 2
Copyright © 2010 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Medicines are made from rain forest
plants. We need to protect the rain
forest as a result.
The rain forest is disappearing. As a
result / Therefore / Consequently, we
are losing possible new medicines.
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