Unit 9 Cause and Effect
In academic writing, events or actions are frequently linked with their cause and effect. Look at the following diagram which summarises this relationship.
back in time ■** or sequence cause reason purpose
event situation action idea problem
forward in time or sequence effect
consequence result solution
Now look at these examples of the cause and effect relationship.
connective
Heat
causes iron to expand,
[   Prices rose. | As a result    fewer goods were
sold.
Any marks on the leaves are probably
due to
the same virus.
There are a large number of ways to express the relationship shown in the diagram on the left. You will need to look at Appendix 8: Connectives (section e; Result, page 120) and especially the Structure and Vocabulary Aid at the end of this unit (page 60).
Sometimes the cause will be named before the effect; sometimes the effect will be named first, e.g.
1) X causes
r
cause
2) Y is caused by T
effect
Y (active verb) T
effect
X {passive verb) t
cause
{""The cause j is in a box; the effect is underlined.
Connectives and Markers
Look carefully at the Structure and Vocabulary Aid at the end of thts unit (page 60), then do the following exercises.
1 The parts of the sentence* below have been mixed up. Join the 6 parts on the (eft wfth the correct parts from the 9 on the right.
1 There is acid in that bottle; therefore...
2 The effect of the fluctuation in temperature
3 Bad labour relations caused,..
4 The accident occurred because of,..
5 He passed his examination because...
6 Delayed treatment often results in ,..
a the road was icy.
b he was unsuccessful.
c prolonged illness
d it must be handled very carefully.
e careful storage.
f the icy road conditions.
g the strike.
h he worked hard.
i was to kill the laboratory specimens.
Making use of the information in the correct answers from the previous exercise complete the following sentences. Inside the box write the appropriate connective or verb marker (see the Structure and Vocabulary Aid). The first one has been done as an example.
e.g. Icy road conditions )      caused        the accident
a b c d
he worked hard
Prolonged illness is often The strike was |
The laboratory specimens were killed
e That bottle must be handled very carefully {_
Stage 2
Identifying Relationships
top: gf«l«r centre: tpruca tie" bottom: i!lv«r birth
I  Read the following carefully.
Climate
For the last hundred years the climate has been growing much warmer. This has had a number of different effects. Since the beginning of the 20th Century, glaciers have been melting very rapidly. For example, the Muir Glacier in Alaska has retreated 2 miles in 10 years. Secondly, rising temperatures have been causing the snowline to retreat on mountains all over the world. In Peru, for example, it has risen as much as 2700 feet in 60 years.
As a result of this, vegetation has also been changing. In Canada, the agricultural cropline has shifted 50 to 100 miles northward. In the same way cool-climate trees like birches and spruce have been dying over large areas of Eastern Canada. In Sweden the treeline has moved up the mountains by as much as 65 feet since 1930.
The distribution of wildlife has also been affected, many European animals moving northwards into Scandinavia. Since 1918, 25 new species of birds have been seen in Greenland, and in the United States birds have moved their nests to the north.
Finally, the sea has been rising at a rapidly increasing rate, largely due, as was mentioned above, to the melting of glaciers. In the last 18 years it has risen by about 6 inches, which is about four times the average rate of rise over the last 9000 years.
Now look at the following cause and effect table. From the text above copy into the table where necessary the causes and effects mentioned; also write in the central column, the appropriate connective or marker of the cause/effect relationship. Where an example (e.g.) is asked for, only write the first one if more than one is given in the text. The first section has been done as an example.
Table 1; Climate
Cause	Connective or Marker	Effect
The climate has been growing much warmer	(different) effects	1 glaciers have been melting very rapidly, e.g. the Muir Glacier in Alaska has retreated 2 miks in 10 years
		2 e.g.
		3 «•«•
		4 e.g.
		S e.g.
I Structure and Vocabulary Aid
Cause-effect relationships
Look carefully at the connectives or markers of cause-effect relationships shown below. Notice particularly how they are used in a sentence construction. The shaded boxes refer to causes.
higher prices was an increase in demand.
of an increase in demand is
higher prices.		
5>	raise >v increase /	prices.
The demand has increased (;)
Therefore, So,
r result,
I consequence. Accordingly, Consequently, Because of this, Thus, Hence,
For rhis reason, . 'Now,
rhc prices are higher.
Because As Since *Now (that).
the demand has increased,
the prices arc higher.
(* includes in its meaning a present time element)
An increase in demand often
causes results in leads to produces
higher prices.
Higher prices are foften)
The prices are higher
When\
u_7
caused by due to because of.
because of as a result of on account of owing to through
because\ jince \
as
»..   i ,   '     , •    ř J. >
an increase in demand.
there is
an increase in demand.
because the demand has increased.
there is in increase in demand,
(then| prices ri«.
Look at this diagram ^elating to the situation in the Czech Republic. Write one paragraph describing some of the cause* and effects. Give a title to your writing. O^th^JU Kl iA{
SOME CAUSES
enough/lack of experience
qualifications
lack of education
age (-»23)
age (45->)
single woman
married woman
- with small children
- with mature children
- without children single man married man illness
SOME EFFECTS
in/adequate, in/sufficient or no
opportunities
possessions
comforts
wages/salaries stress
unemployment alcohol, gambling dis/satisfaction lack of confidence enormous self-confidence frustration resignation high/low status