Cause/Effect Essays
Purpose of this Rhetorical Pattern
To understand a situation
 To solve a problem
 To predict an outcome
 To entertain
 To persuade

Brainstorming Technique
Unity in Cause/Effect
Focus must be only on one topic and its
causes/effects
 Unity is achieved in a paragraph by
deciding on an organizational pattern.
 Is there a link between the causes or
effects? Use that link as the controlling
idea (ex. negative effects, positive
outcomes, happy reasons.)
 Create a thesis statement demonstrating
the topic, the chosen pattern and the
controlling idea.

Organization Patterns

Cause Focus - writing only about causes
◦ Introduction paragraph (discuss effects as
hook)
◦ Body Paragraph One: Cause One
◦ Body Paragraph Two: Cause Two
◦ Body Paragraph Three: Cause Three
◦ Conclusion
Organization Patterns

Effect Focus – writing only about effects
◦ Introduction paragraph (discuss causes as
hook)
◦ Body Paragraph One: Effect One
◦ Body Paragraph Two: Effect Two
◦ Body Paragraph Three: Effect Three
◦ Conclusion
Organization Patterns

Causes and Effects focus: pay attention to
transitions between body paragraphs
◦ Introduction
◦ Paragraph(s) about causes
◦ (transition)
◦ Paragraph(s) about effects
◦ Conclusion
Organization Patterns

Chain Reaction - used for closely linked
causes/effects.
◦ Introduction
◦ Cause/Effect Body Paragraphs (one link or
many links in each paragraph)
◦ Conclusion
Coherence through Signal Words

See handout on Signal Words
◦ Note the difference with phrases ending in a
preposition
 As a result of his achievements, he won the prize.
 He had a lot of achievements. As a result, he won
the prize.
 As a consequence of the long hours at work, she was
tired.
 She worked long hours. As a consequence, she
was tired.
Practice with Signal Words
Determine the signal word. Identify the cause. Identify the
effect. Understand the grammatical structure that follows.
 President Obama claims that jobs have been saved as a result of the
stimulus package.
 The Supreme Court denied the petitioner’s case, for the Justices
believed the petitioner did not meet his burden of proof.
 The reason for the company’s success has been its continued
expansion of its research and development division.
 Her father had two jobs; as a consequence, she did not see him
very often.
 Halloween now rivals Christmas as the most popular American
holiday, thereby dramatically increasing the sales of candy and
costumes in the past ten years.
Practice with Signal Words
Decide which one if the cause and the effect. Then
create a sentence.
 ____Coral reefs are dying
 ____Scientists are trying to figure out ways to
protect them.
(because)__________________________________
_______________________________________
 ____There was a lot of rain this fall.
 ____The pumpkin crop was not good.
(as a consequence of)
_______________________________________
_______________________________________
Hook Paragraph

Dramatic Narrative or Statement
◦ Example
The Collision
Darkness surrounds the car, except for two beams of
light straining against the gloom. The rain pounds the car,
tapping out a frantic beat. The undertone of the steady
thumping of the windshield wipers combines with the rain to
create a hypnotic rhythm; inside the car, the air is warm and
enveloping. The windows, slightly fogged, sparkle from the
lights of passing cars, and traffic lights. Now, the twinkling of
the blinker light up the dashboard. The car eases into the
next lane and WHAM! The rhythm is destroyed. Now, the
sounds are the crunching, cracking and popping of metal on
metal. The car has collided with another and careens to a
stop. Although the car no longer moves, the effects of the
car accident have now been set in motion.