English Grammar: Expressing Cause and Effect – 3rd Year Secondary – Algeria

Expressing Cause and Effect

Being able to express cause and effect is essential for writing clear arguments and essays in English.

Expressing cause

• Because / Because of : “He was late because the traffic was bad.” / “He was late because of the traffic.”
• Since / As : “Since it was raining, we stayed inside.” (more formal)
• Due to / Owing to : “The match was cancelled due to bad weather.” (formal)
• The reason for : “The reason for his absence was illness.”
• As a result of : “As a result of the economic crisis, many lost their jobs.”

Expressing effect

• Therefore : “He worked hard; therefore, he succeeded.” (formal)
• Consequently / As a result : “The road was blocked. Consequently, we took another route.”
• So : “I was tired, so I went to bed.” (informal)
• Thus : “The company expanded, thus creating new jobs.”
• For this reason : “The environment is degraded. For this reason, we must act.”

Linking words table

Cause	Effect / Result
because, because of, since, as	so, therefore, consequently
due to, owing to	as a result, as a consequence
the reason for, on account of	thus, hence, for this reason

Exercises

Exercise 1: Complete the sentences with cause or effect connectors:

1. He studied hard; __________, he passed the exam.
2. The flight was delayed __________ the storm.
3. __________ it was late, we decided to go home.

Learn more: Linking Words and How to Write an Essay.