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Girls SchoolCause / Effect

Indicating a causal relationship

 

The Girl Effect is about girls and boys, and moms and dads, and villages, towns and countries.

Poverty, AIDs, hunger and war — "What if there were a solution that would turn this 'sinking ship' around"?

 

Stating Cause (Reason) and Effect (Result)
CAUSE — EFFECT EFFECT — CAUSE

Consequently serves as a transition from one sentence to the next. It introduces an effect of situation stated in the sentence before it. A comma is used after the transition word.

Because joins one clause with another clause. It introduces a cause (reason) for the situation stated in the other clause. A comma is not used when the connector is in mid-sentence position.

CAUSE (REASON)

TRANSITION

EFFECT (RESULT)

EFFECT (RESULT)

CONJUNCTION

CAUSE (REASON)

She had no other options.

Consequently, 

she married at thirteen. 

She married at thirteen

because 

she had no other options. 

She was not protected.

As a result, 

she had a baby at thirteen. 

She had a baby at thirteen

as 

she was not protected. 

She had no access to health education or medical clinics.

Therefore, 

she was more likely to get HIV.

She was more likely to get HIV

since 

she had no access to health education or medical clinics. 

There was poor sanitation in the village.

As a consequence, 

she had health problems. 

She had health problems

*because of  

poor sanitation in the village. (noun phrase) 

The water was impure in her village.

For this reason,

she suffered from parasites.

She suffered from parasites

*on account of 

the impure water in her village.  (noun phrase) 

She had no shoes, warm clothes or blankets.

For all these reasons, 

she was often cold.

She was often cold

*due to 

not having shoes, warm clothes or blankets.  (noun phrase) 

She had no resources to grow food. (land, seeds, tools)

Thus,

she was hungry. 

She was hungry

for the reason that 

she had no resources to grow food. (land, seeds, tools)

She had not been given a chance,

so**

she was fighting for survival.  

She was fighting for survival

since 

she had not been given a chance. 
 

*Note that in current linguistic analysis because of, on account of, due to, owing to are grouped with prepositions that are complemented with a noun phrase or clause. (CaGEL 616-26)

adolescence (n.) – the time, usually between the ages of 12 and 18, when a young person is developing into an adult
option (n.) – a choice one can make when in a particular situation
parasites (n.) –  worms, insects and other organisms that live in a person's body and cause the person to be sick
sanitation (n.) – The protection of public health by removing and treating waste, dirty water etc.
unprotected (adj.) – Someone or something that is not kept safe from harm, hurt or damage.
** so (adv.) –   a conjunction, joins a cause-clause to an effect-clause.

 

 

Cause & result expressions
INTRODUCES EFFECT INTRODUCES CAUSE

Both verbs, cause and result, are used in the active form  to introduce an effect. The verb cause focuses on the source, while the verb+prep. result in focuses on the the result.  Result is always followed by a prepositional phrase (in).

Both verbs, cause and result, are used to introduce a cause. The verb cause may be used in the passive form  with a by phrase.  The verb result does not take the passive form.  Instead, it is followed by a prepositional phrase (from).  Note that result by has a different meaning.  See link below.

CAUSE (REASON)

Poor childhood education

VERB PHRASE

causes

EFFECT (RESULT)

illiteracy.
 

EFFECT (RESULT)

Illiteracy

VERB PHRASE

is caused
passive

CAUSE (REASON)

by poor childhood education. 

Poor childhood education

results
results
  

in illiteracy.
 

Illiteracy

results 
is resulted by
results by   

from poor childhood education. 

*Yellow highlighting indicates example of incorrect usage.
illiteracy (n.) – inability to read or write (cannot)
Also see The reason is + Clause

 

 

Cause "cuz"
BECAUSE CAUSE

The conjunction because is used to introduce a clause giving reason.  The expression because of is used to introduce a noun phrase giving reason.  Informal shortened forms are often confused with cause.

The word cause can be either a noun or a verb: (v.) results in; to be the cause of; bring about; (n.) the reason, the end or purpose for which a thing is done or produced

Because of poor childhood education, there is illiteracy. (adds a noun phrase)

Poor childhood education causes illiteracy.  (verb – results in)

Because there is poor childhood education, there is illiteracy. (adds a clause)

The cause of  illiteracy is poor childhood education.   (noun – the reason for)

Cause of poor childhood education, there is illiteracy. (Shortened form not used in writing.)
 

The cause  (to reduce illiteracy) is receiving a lot of attention.   (noun – the principle, the movement, the goal)

INFORMAL, SHORTENED FORM

'Cause you asked, we'll come and help you. (in speech)

 

"Cuz you love me, I can do anything." (in song)

 

i cant come bcuz  i hav to work.  (in text messages – often lowercase and shortened)
 

 

In informal speech and writing (texting), \'because\' is sometimes shortened — 'cause, cuz, becuz; In text messages —bcz: cant come today bcz I hav to work

 

 

 

 

If Only Because

Sheryl WuDunn of Half the Sky
Sheryl WuDunn Half the Sky

Stating a minor reason

 

 

 

 

A MAIN REASON A MINOR REASON IS A SUFFICIENT REASON

Use because to indicate a reason of primary importance, a main or major reason.

When a range of reasons exist, use if only because to indicate a minor reason or sometimes a trivial reason. A reason that is not the main or sole one.  "if for no other (better) reason than ..." or "because at least"

We are confident because we are getting your overwhelming support.

We are confident if only because we are making progress. (a minor, minimal reason – This implies that much more needs to be done.)

She needs a job because she needs to be able to support herself. (home, food, etc.)

She needs a job if only because she needs something to occupy herself everyday. (a minor, trivial reason)

Give her praise because she's a good student.

Give her praise if only because she has shown up to school on time everyday. (a minimal reason)

She visits the cafe because she wants to check on her employees.

She visits the cafe if only because she wants a bite to eat.

She married at thirteen because she had no other options.
 

She married at thirteen if only because she needed a roof over her head.
 

trivial (adj) – not serious, important, or valuable 

 

 

 

 

Punctuation

Clause Order

 

 

Mid versus Initial Placement
INITIAL MID-SENTENCE

commaBecause joins one clause with another clause. It introduces a cause (reason) for the situation stated in the other clause. A comma is used when the connector is in initial-sentence position. Consequently serves as a transition from one sentence to the next. It introduces an effect of situation stated in the sentence before it. A comma is used after the transition word.

no commaBecause in mid-sentence position requires no comma separating the cause clause and the effect clause. Consequently in mid-sentence position requires a semi-colon at the end of the cause clause and a comma after the transition word in the effect clause.

CONNECTOR

Because she had no other options,she married at thirteen.
move right comma
 

  

CONNECTOR

She married at thirteen because she had no other options.

TRANSITION WORD

She had no other options.  Consequently, she married at age thirteen.
move right period                      comma
 

TRANSITION WORD

She had no other options; consequently, she married at age thirteen.
move right semicolon               comma  

Related page:  Because – Initial vs. mid-sentence placement 
Fragments (Independent vs. dependent clauses) 

 

 

 

 

Resources

Huddleston, Rodney and Geoffrey K. Pullum. "Words with PP Complements." The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002. Print. (CaGEL 616-26)

Swan, Michael. "Because." Practical English Usage. 4th ed. 2009: Oxford University Press. Print.  (Swan 94)

 

 

 

African girlPractice 1

The Girl (and Boy) Effect

 

When people began to question why the death rate of females in certain parts of Africa was so much greater than the death rate of males, they started to look for reasons.  Below, are some cause and effect relationships.

 

 

Cause-effect connectors
  1. Select the connector from the menu that best completes the sentence.
  2. Compare your response to the answer to the right by clicking the "check" button.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER
1.
2.
3.

uniform (n.) – a particular type of clothing worn by all the members of a group or organization
4.
5.
6.
7.

graduation (n.) – the time when a person completes a high school or university degree
more likely (adj)  – almost certain
8.
9.
10
   

 

 

 

Practice 2Girl in a clinic

Health Care

 

 

Effect clauses — stating result (logic)
  1. Select the response that best completes the sentence.
  2. Compare your response to the answer.  An asterisk * Indicates an incorrect answer.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE FEEDBACK
11.




vaccinate (v.) – to protect a person or animal from a disease by giving them a vaccine, an injection, immunization		 FEEDBACK 11  
12.


 		 FEEDBACK 12  
13.


FEEDBACK 13
14.

 		 FEEDBACK 14  
15.



health care provider (n.) – any profession that gives health assistance: counselors, nurses, doctors 		FEEDBACK 15
   

 

 

 

 

Practice 3

malefemale

Gender preference

 

 

Punctuation with cause-effect connectors
  1. Select the connector from the menu that best completes the sentence.
  2. Compare your response to the answer to the right by clicking the "check" button.

 

# YOUR RESPONSE CHECK ANSWER
16.
17.  
18.  
19.  
20.  
   

 

 

Resources