6.4: Writing Skills- The Cause/Effect Paragraph

What Is a Cause/Effect Paragraph?

A cause/effect paragraph is one which shows either the reasons or the results of something. A paragraph giving causes answers the question, “Why does/did this happen?” A paragraph giving effects answers the question, “What are/were the results of this?” The paragraph below gives the causes of a social concern.

If you walk into any animal shelter, especially in a big city, you will see dogs of all shapes and sizes who need a loving home. There are several reasons why so many dogs end up in animal shelters. Firstly, these dogs might simply be lost. Maybe they have wandered away from home and can’t find their way back. This sad situation could be avoided if dog owners remembered to put a collar on their dog with their name and phone number on a tag. Secondly, in some cases, a dog’s owner becomes too old or sick to care for the animal. One day, the dog is found looking for food on the street and is taken to a shelter. This unfortunate situation can be avoided by making sure a friend or family member is willing to take care of your dog if you are unable to. Thirdly, and most tragically, the dog is simply no longer wanted. Too many pets are given to children as birthday presents. The children become bored with the pet, and the poor creature is abandoned. These tragedies can be avoided if people think very carefully about giving cute animals as presents. Puppies grow up, they are no longer cute, and they need a lot of care. It is clear, therefore, that the number of shelter dogs could be reduced if people exercised a little more thought and planning when it comes to their dogs.

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): I want a home, please!

 

What Makes a Good Cause/Effect Paragraph?

 

• It is about either causes or effects. In one paragraph, you cannot address both. You should say early in your paragraph whether you are talking about causes or effects.
• It is about a topic that is easily managed in one paragraph. In the paragraph you have just read, the author discusses only animals in shelters—this is a small enough topic that it can be covered in one paragraph.
• It recognizes the complexity of the situation. There is often more than one cause for an event of situation, and there is often more than one result. The results can be positive, negative, or both. In the sample paragraph, the writer understands and shows that pets end up in shelters for a variety of reasons.
• It is sufficiently detailed. As with all good paragraphs, don’t make your reader guess what you want to say. Give examples.

 

Steps for Writing the Cause/Effect Paragraph

1. As you know, your writing should begin with some brainstorming. Think about your topic—what do you want to say about it? Use a mind map to start to collect some ideas.
2. Make a plan for your paragraph.
3. Write your first draft. Don’t worry about getting everything perfect at this stage; just get your ideas on paper. Have you recognized and indicated that causes or effects are rarely straightforward, and that there may be complicated factors at work? Make sure you have included enough detail.
4. Revise your draft. Follow the ARMS checklist you learned in Unit 1 (Add, Remove, Move, and Substitute). You may want to use words like Firstly, Secondly, and Finally to introduce your various points.
5. Edit your paragraph and write your final draft. Now that your ideas are in place, you can focus on grammar, spelling, word choice, and punctuation.

 

You Try It!

Look at the following examples of paragraphs that show effects (results). Answer the questions below each paragraph.

Paragraph 1

For many people, a trip to the zoo is a fun day out. However, a zoo is not a natural habitat for any animal, and living in a zoo has many negative effects on the creatures who live there. This is especially true for elephants. Firstly, elephants in a zoo can be lonely. In the wild, elephants live in herds and have long-term connections with other elephants. In a zoo, there may only be one other elephant. You can often see elephants walking around looking bored because they have no companions. Secondly, elephants may not get enough exercise. African elephants can, if necessary, walk for fifty miles every day to search for food. They have huge rivers to play in with their herd. In a zoo, they are limited to a small space. There may be no water for them to splash in, or no trees to find foliage to eat. Thirdly, elephants in the wild are used to a very different climate. In Canadian zoos, elephants cannot stay outside in the sunshine all year round. They may be kept indoors in the winter, which is not a natural environment for them. Because of these problems, many zoo elephants live shorter lives than those in the wild. It is time to reconsider whether zoos are good environments for large animals like elephants. 

1.      What point is the writer making here?

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2.      What three reasons does the writer give to support this argument?

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3.      Have you ever visited a zoo? What were your impressions?

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Paragraph 2

For avid hunters in Canada, the spring bear hunt is a time to look forward to. In Ontario, hunters have been banned from hunting bears since 1999. However, the spring bear hunt has recently been reinstated for a trial period of five years. Results of this will be both positive and negative. People who support the bear hunt complain that there has been an increase in the number of bears who wake up hungry after hibernation and find their way into towns and villages. Many restaurant owners have found bears sniffing around their garbage cans looking for something to eat. There have even been cases of bears wandering into people’s backyards in northern towns, posing a danger to residents. In these communities, the return of the bear hunt is seen as a positive sign. Another positive effect is the economic benefits the hunt will bring to rural communities. Hunters spend millions of dollars in northern communities on lodging, food, equipment, and guides. On the other hand, animal rights activists claim that killing bears is inhumane and will have negative results. It is still illegal to kill mother bears, but many hunters cannot tell whether a bear is male or female. As a result, there is a danger that baby bears will be orphaned. With both positive and negative results, the spring bear hunt is likely to remain a controversial issue.

1.      What point is the writer making here?

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2.      What positive effects does the writer describe?

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3.      What negative effect does the writer describe?

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4.      In 2017, the government of British Columbia banned the hunting of grizzly bears by all non-First Nations hunters. What effect do you think this will have?

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In Bring It Together: Writing Task you will write a paragraph showing the causes or effects of an issue related to animals. Use what you have learned in this section to help you.