To identify cause-and-effect relationships in a text.
Here’s a breakdown of the key points:
Cause
– This is the reason why something happens. It is the action or condition that starts a chain of events.
Example:
It rained heavily. (Cause)
Effect
– This is the outcome or result of the cause. It describes what happened as a consequence.
Example:
The streets were flooded. (Effect)
Signal Words
– Certain words or phrases indicate a cause-and-effect relationship.
Cause words:
because (of), due to, the reason (for)
Effect words:
as a result, so, consequently, thus
Example:
It rained heavily, so the streets were flooded.
Implied Cause-Effect
– Sometimes, authors do not directly use these words but still show cause and effect. You must infer the relationship by understanding the events.
Example:
The streets were flooded. People had to stay indoors.
The implied cause is the rain
the effect is people staying inside.
Reading Strategy
– While reading, ask questions to identify cause and effect:
What caused this to
happen?
What was the result of this
event?
