OBJECTIVES To learn how to write a cause-effect essay
To use effective transitions in cause-effect writing
To use verb tenses consistently
To recognize and avoid sentence fragments
What are the causes and
effects of pollution?
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We all understand cause-eect relationships; for example, lightning can cause re. As a student
you know that if you stay up late the night before a test to watch a movie and do not study, you may not
perform well on the test the following day. A cause-eect essay tells how one event (the cause) leads to
another event (the eect).
A cause-eect essay can do one of two things:
• It can analyze the ways in which one or more eects result from a particular cause.
(Focus-on-Eects Method)
• It can analyze the ways in which one or more causes lead to a particular eect.
(Focus-on-Causes Method)
In other words, your essay may focus more on the eects of a cause or more on the causes of one
eect. Either approach provides a useful means of discussing the possible relationship between the two
events. It is not a good idea to mix several causes and several eects in an essay because your focus may
becomeunclear.
In cause-eect essays, it is easy to suggest that because one event preceded another event, the
former event caused the latter. Simply because one event follows another one sequentially does not
mean that the two actions are related. For example, people oen complain that as soon as they nish
washing their car, it starts to rain. Obviously, washing a car does not cause rain. Writers need to be sure
that the causes and eects they describe are logically connected.
What Is a Cause-Effect Essay?
134 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
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135
ere are two basic ways to organize a cause-eect essay: focus-on-eects or focus-on-causes.
If your assignment is to write a cause-eect essay on the topic of global warming, you could write two
kinds of essays:
• In a focus-on-eects essay, you would write about the threatened habitat of polar bears as a
result of global warming and the melting of large parts of the Arctic Circle. Your essay might
include ve paragraphs and look like this:
How Is a Cause-Effect Essay Organized?
INTRODUCTION
Paragraph 1
Hook
Connecting information
Thesis
BODY
Paragraph 2
Effect 1: dangerous swimming conditions
• sea ice platforms farther apart
Paragraph 3
Effect 2: scarcity of food
• fewer hunting opportunities
Paragraph 4
Effect 3: reduced population
• Females with less body weight have lower reproduction rates.
CONCLUSION
Paragraph 5
Restated thesis
Suggestion/opinion/prediction
INTRODUCTION
Paragraph 1
Hook
Connecting information
Thesis
BODY
Paragraph 2
Cause 1: human activities
• carbon dioxide from vehicles
• not recycling (requires creating more products from scratch)
Paragraph 3
Cause 2: increased industrial activity
• greater carbon dioxide from burning fuels to run factories
Paragraph 4
Cause 3: deforestation
• Increased human population requires more space, so trees are cut down.
• Fewer trees mean less oxygen, which causes a higher percentage of
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
CONCLUSION
Paragraph 5
Restated thesis
Suggestion/opinion/prediction
• In a focus-on-causes essay, you would write about the causes of global warming, such as
excessive carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In this case, the organization for this essay could
have ve paragraphs and look like this:
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136 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
What is a great topic for a cause-eect essay? is type of essay may focus more on the causes or
more on the eects, but most writers answer this question by thinking of an eect or a nal result. e
brainstorming stage then requires thinking about one or more causes of that eect.
When selecting topics for this type of essay, a good writer should consider relevant questions
such as:
• What is the end eect?
• Is there one primary eect, or are there several eects?
• Is there one primary cause, or are there several causes?
As you read this list of some general topics that lend themselves well to a cause-eect essay,
notice that the last two in each group do not use the obvious words cause or eect:
Focus on Causes Focus on Effects
the causes of the high divorce rate in some countries the effects of pollution in my country
the causes of World War I the effects of high salaries for athletes
the causes of low voter participation in elections the effects of the Internet on how businesses are run
the reasons new teachers quit the impact of technology on education
why only a small percentage of people read
newspapers today
what happens when a large percentage of adults
cannot read well
ACTIVITY 1
Identifying Topics for Cause-Effect Essays
Read these eight topics. Put a check mark (✓) next to the four that could be good topics for
cause-eectessays.
1. e reasons that the earth’s weather has changed so much in the last century
2. Bangkok versus Singapore as a vacation destination
3. A trip to visit my grandparents
4. e increasing use of computers in schools
5. Explaining dietary guidelines for children
6. How to play the piano
7. Why a student received a scholarship
8. Why the birth rate is falling in many countries
Can you think of two additional topics that would be excellent for a cause-eect essay?
9.
10.
Great Topics for Cause-Effect Essays
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137
Supporting Details
Aer you have selected a topic, your task is to determine whether you will focus more on the
causes of the issue or the eects of it. is process will also help you to select and develop supporting
details for your essay, which is an important step in constructing a solid essay.
When you brainstorm your plan for this essay, a useful technique is to make two lists. One list
has as many causes as you can think of. e second list has as many eects or results as you can think of.
e list that is bigger—the causes or the eects—should determine the primary focus of your essay.
Here is an example for an essay about the diculty of learning English:
Causes Effects
14 vowel sounds Some people study it for years.
unpredictable spelling system People spend millions of dollars to learn it.
12 verb tenses There are many jobs for teaching English.
phrasal verbs Some people never learn it well.
vocabulary from German and from Latin Some people have a weak vocabulary.
ACTIVITY 2
Brainstorming for Two Methods
One of the topics that we hear so much about in today’s society is stress. In this activity, you will use
the space in the boxes on page 138 to brainstorm ideas for an essay on the topic of stress. In the rst
box, your organization will address the focus-on-eects method. In the second box, your organization
will address the focus-on-causes method. Aer you complete these tasks, work with a partner or a
small group to discuss your answers.
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138 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
Focus-on-Eects Method
Cause:
Eects:
Focus-on-Causes Method
Causes:
Eect:
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139
ACTIVITY 3
Studying an Example Cause-Effect Essay
is essay discusses some eects that weather has had on events in history. Discuss the Preview
Questions with a partner. en read the essay and answer the questions that follow.
Preview Questions
1. Can you name a time when the weather had an eect on an event that you attended? Was it a
positive eect or a negative eect?
2. In the 1200s, the warrior Kubilai Khan tried to invade Japan by sailing from the Asian mainland to
Japan. A certain kind of weather event prevented the invasion. Write three guesses in the diagram
about what this weather was. Do not consult the Internet, a book, or a person.
tempting: attractive;
desirable
fate: the plan for the
future that has been
decided and that you
cannot control
a course: a route or
direction
cumulatively: formed
over time by many
parts or additions
to intervene: to
become involved in
something in order
to inuence the nal
result
Essay 13
How Weather Has Changed World History
1 It is tempting, and oen comforting, to think that humans
control their fates. e decisions that people make in their daily lives
can aect many things, and the course of their lives cumulatively
reects these many small decisions. On the other hand, people cannot
control every aspect of their environments, and forces beyond human
control frequently intervene in human aairs. Notwithstanding many
people’s opinion that the weather has little inuence in their lives besides
determining what clothes they wear on a particular day, the weather has
in fact caused world history to radically shi in important ways that are
still felt today.
2 Numerous examples from world history document the
long-term eects of weather in the formation of cultures and nations.
In the thirteenth century, Khubilai Khan ruled over the vast Mongol
empire, which spanned from the Pacic Ocean in the east to the Black
Cause 1:
Cause 2:
Effect: No invasion of Japan
Cause 3:
3. Go back in time. Imagine you are a captain of a troop of 500 soldiers and you want to attack your
enemy at night. However, it is raining heavily. What are three possible eects of the rain?
Effect 1:
Cause: Heavy rain at battle time at night
Effect 2:
Effect 3:
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140 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
to document: to
maintain a written
record of; to write
about
to span: to extend from
one point to another
a reign: a time of political
control, especially
for kings, queens, or
unelected ofcials
to mount: to prepare
something so that it
takes place
a monsoon: a strong rain
storm that happens at
a certain time of the
year
a casualty: an injury or
death in a severe event
such as an accident or
a war
to stage: to plan,
organize, and make
something happen
ambition: a strong desire
for power, wealth, or
fame
Sea in the west, from present-day Siberia in the north to Afghanistan
in the south. To expand his reign further, Khubilai Khan mounted two
invasions of Japan. Two monsoons, however, caused him to end his
attacks. Delgado (2008) describes legendary accounts of this event: “e
legend, o repeated in countless history books, speaks of gigantic ships,
numbering into the thousands, crewed by indomitable Mongol warriors,
and of casualties on a massive scale, with more than 100,000 lives lost
in the nal invasion attempt of 1281” (p. 4). Because of this unexpected
defeat, Khubilai Khan decided to stage a third invasion of Japan, but
he died before he could fulll this ambition. Without these monsoons,
Japan might have been defeated by the Mongols and thus lost its identity
as a unique culture, with far-reaching consequences for Asian and world
history.
3 In the early years of America’s Revolutionary War, which began
in 1775, it appeared likely that the British would crush the armies of
her colonial territory and incorporate it back into the empire. e
British troops were a well-trained and disciplined army that was feared
worldwide. In contrast, the American troops were newly trained,
sometimes poorly organized, and lacked sucient resources to ght
eectively. General George Washington could have easily been defeated
in the Battle of Long Island on August 22, 1776. Historical records show
that Sir William Howe, the British commander, was clearly defeating
Washington on Long Island and was actually winning handily (Seymour,
1995). Nonetheless, the weather intervened when a heavy fog rolled in,
so the American forces were able to retreat, regroup, and survive to ght
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141
to crush: to destroy
handily: easily
fog: a type of weather
similar to a cloud very
near the ground
to retreat: to go back
a tie: a connection
domain: land that a
ruler or government
controls
to capture: to catch;
to trap
to overlook: to fail to
notice or know about
brutal: severe
abominable:
disgusting; causing
hateful feelings
dreadful: extremely
bad; causing fear
unambiguously: not
ambiguously; clearly
and denitely
dense: thick
a forecaster: a
person who predicts
something, often the
weather
another day. Because of this fog, the United States was not defeated in its
struggle for freedom. Consequently, today’s United Kingdom of England,
Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland does not include the United States.
e United States is not a commonwealth of a mother country, as Canada
and Australia are, though the United States still has strong ties to its
colonial past.
4 When Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Russia in the early nineteenth
century, he met with early successes that appeared to guarantee that he
might eventually rule the world as his personal domain. His soldiers
captured Moscow and destroyed the city, which encouraged him to
push farther in his military campaigns. However, because of his dreams
of glory, Napoleon overlooked the simple fact that Russian winters are
extremely cold. When the temperatures fell below freezing, many of his
soldiers and their horses died in the brutal weather. As Belloc (1926)
writes in his classic study of the Napoleonic wars, “e cold was the
abominable thing: e dreadful enemy against which men could not
ght and which destroyed them” (p. 217). As a result of the failure of
Napoleon’s Russian campaigns, his own rule ended relatively soon aer.
His defeat led to a reorganization of power throughout the European
nations, as well as to the rise of Russia as a major world power.
5 As these three examples unambiguously demonstrate, the
weather has caused numerous huge shis in world history as well as in
power balances among cultures and nations. Without the rainy storms
of the monsoon season, Japan might be the eastern outpost of Mongolia;
without the appearance of dense fog, the United States might still be a
territory of the United Kingdom; and without winter snow, Muscovites
might speak French. Today weather forecasters can usually predict with a
high degree of accuracy when thunderstorms, hurricanes, tsunamis, and
tornadoes will strike, but the course of history cannot be fully isolated
from the eects of the weather.
References
Belloc, H. (1926). Napoleon’s campaign of 1812 and the retreat from
Moscow. New York: Harper.
Delgado, J. (2008). Khubilai Khan’s lost eet: In search of a legendary
armada. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.
Seymour, W. (1995). e price of folly: British blunders in the War of
American Independence. London: Brassey’s.
Post-Reading
1. What is the topic of the essay?
2. What is the writer’s thesis?
3. What is the cause that the writer describes in the essay?
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142 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
4. What are some of the eects that the writer describes?
5. Write one detail that strongly supports the thesis statement.
6. How is this essay organized?
focus-on-causes method focus-on-eects method
7. Can you think of any information that the author should have included to make the message of the
essay stronger?
Building Better Sentences: For further practice, go to Practice 3 on pages 239–240 in the Appendix.
ACTIVITY 4
Practicing Three Kinds of Vocabulary fromContext
Read each important vocabulary word or phrase. Locate it in the essay if you need help remembering
the word. en circle the best synonym, antonym, or collocation from column A, B, or C.
Type of Vocabulary Important Vocabulary A B C
Synonyms
1. capture catch fulll prosper
2. tempting attractive inherent precise
3. forecast dread predict reign
4. on account of due to prior to regardless of
Antonyms
5. handily by vehicle on foot with difculty
6. dense thin superior reluctant
7. eventually beyond cumulatively immediately
8. expand differentiate proceed shrink
Collocations
9. span ___ Greece from England to near England and with England or
10. ___ in a dispute duplicate intervene merge
11. a brutal ___ friendship lunch storm
12. defeat ___ an attack an enemy a reptile
Building Better Vocabulary
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143
ACTIVITY 5
Analyzing the Organization
Use the words from the box to complete the outline of “How Weather Has Changed World History.”
Reread the essay on pages 139–141 if you need help.
• the Battle of Long Island in the American Revolutionary War, during which fog helped the American
forces to retreat
• The course of history cannot be fully isolated from the effects of weather.
• H. Belloc, who documents the effect of the Russian winter
• The weather has changed world history in important ways still felt today.
• Japan’s cultural identity would have changed if Khan had succeeded in his invasion.
Title: How Weather Has Changed World History
I. Introduction
A. Describe how people think they control their fates.
B. Suggest, however, that people cannot control every aspect of their environments.
C. esis statement:
.
II. Body Paragraph 1
A. Provide the example of Khubilai Khan and his invasion of Japan.
B. Cite the study of J. Delgado, who describes Khubilai Khan’s failed invasion.
C. Discuss how
.
III. Body Paragraph 2
A. Provide the example of
.
.
B. Cite the study of W. Seymour, who documents the circumstances of the battle.
C. Discuss how the United States might have remained a member of the British Commonwealth, if
not for a heavy fog.
IV. Body Paragraph 3
A. Provide the example of Napoleon Bonaparte’s invasion of Russia.
B. Cite the study of
.
C. Discuss the consequences of Napoleon’s defeat in relation to Russia’s rise as a world power.
V. Conclusion
A. Summarize the three examples from the body paragraphs.
B. Suggest that, although weather forecasters can predict the weather with more accuracy than in
the past,
.
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144 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
A strong thesis statement for a cause-eect essay indicates whether the essay focuses on causes or
on eects. Sometimes the thesis statement uses the words cause(s) or eects(s), but this is not necessary
if either the cause or the eect is implied in the statement. In addition, a thesis statement sometimes
includes a number, such as three causes or two eects, but this is also optional.
Focus Example thesis statement
on causes Many customers prefer to shop online for three important reasons.
The increase in obesity in our country is due to food commercials, cheap fast food, and video
games.
on effects This essay will discuss the effects of watching too much TV on children’s family life,
interpersonal skills, and school life.
Most people are not aware of the positive effects of simply walking for 20 to 30 minutes per day.
ACTIVITY 6
Writing Strong Thesis Statements for Cause-Effect Essays
Write a thesis statement for each topic. When you nish, compare your answers with a partner’s.
1. the causes of bullying
2. the eects of being an only child
3. the causes of choosing a vegan diet
4. the eects of society’s love for computers
Transitions and connectors are important in cause-eect essays because they help indicate
causation or eect regarding the topic. Perhaps the most familiar cause-eect transition word is because:
“X happened because Y happened.” Precise use of transitions helps the reader to follow the writer’s
reasoning about cause-eect relationships.
Strong Thesis Statements
for Cause-Effect Essays
Transitions and Connectors
in Cause-Effect Essays
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145
e transitions for both a focus-on-causes essay and a focus-on-eects essay are the same
because both kinds of essays discuss one or more causes or one or more eects.
Transitions and Connectors Commonly Used in Cause-Effect Essays
as a consequence due to on account of
as a result (the) effect (of X) owing to (for this) reason
(X can be) attributed to (Y) (a key) factor of (X) (X is the) reason for (Y)
because for this reason (X is a) result of (Y)
because of furthermore (X) resulted in (Y)
caused if (X), then (Y) since
(X is the) cause of (Y) in addition (to) so
(X is) caused by (Y) in order to therefore
(one) consequence of this (is that . . .) (X) inuences (Y) this means that . . .
consequently (X) leads to (Y) thus
ACTIVITY 7
Identifying Transitions and Connectors in an Essay
Reread “How Weather Has Changed World History” on pages 139–141. Find seven transitions or
connectors. Copy the sentences here, underline the transition or connector, and write the paragraph
number in the parentheses.
1.
( )
2.
( )
3.
( )
4.
( )
5.
( )
6.
( )
7.
( )
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146 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
Studying Transitions and Connectors in an Example
Cause-Effect Essay
ACTIVITY 8
Warming Up to the Topic
Answer the questions on your own. en discuss them with a partner or in a small group.
1. What was the happiest time in your life? Describe what happened. Why were you so happy?
2. ere is a saying that “Money can’t buy happiness.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
In 75–100 words, explain your answer.
ACTIVITY 9
Using Transitions and Connectors in an Essay
Read “Happiness” and circle the correct transition words or phrases.
Essay 14
to proclaim: to state
loudly or clearly for
the record
seemingly: apparently
to facilitate: to make
easieror more likely
to happen
intriguing: extremely
interesting
a hypothesis: an idea
or theory that has not
been proven
chief: main; principal
an obstacle: something
that stops progress or
forward movement
Happiness
1 What makes a person happy?
1
(If / So) people want to be happy—
and few people proclaim their desire to be sad—should they seek money and
professional success? Many experts in elds such as sociology, psychology,
and public policy are attempting to answer this seemingly simple question of
what makes people happy and how communities, social organizations, and
employers can facilitate happiness by implementing a few simple strategies.
In this new eld of happiness studies, some intriguing answers are beginning
to emerge about what makes people happy. Surprisingly, they support the
longstanding hypothesis that money cannot buy happiness.
2 One of the chief obstacles to happiness is referred to as social
comparison. When people compare themselves to other people, they
prefer to see themselves as in some way superior. In an experiment, social
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147
the latter: the second
of two presented
options
a scenario: an
imagined situation
the former: the rst
of two presented
options
means: a person’s
ability to afford
integrity: the personal
quality of being
honest and fair
trite: boring,
unimportant, or
no longer special,
especially due to
overuse
to pursue: to try hard
to obtain
reciprocal: inversely
related; mutually
agreed upon
to end up: to reach
a nal condition or
place, often without
an original intention
scientists asked whether people would prefer earning $50,000 per year
while their peers earned $25,000 per year, or whether they would prefer
earning $100,000 per year while their peers averaged $250,000 per year.
Even though people would earn more in the latter scenario, most chose
the former as a consequence of their desire to see themselves as more
successful than others (Layard, 2005).
2
(In addition / us), a simple way
to increase happiness is for people to reject the urge to compare themselves
to others based on their nances and to live within their means.
3
3
(Another / Other) way to increase people’s sense of personal
happiness is for them to be true to themselves and keep their personal sense
of integrity. While this advice may seem rather trite, people who respect
and follow their authentic desires generally report being happier than people
who do not. As Martin (2012) explains, “At its core, authenticity implies
discovering and pursuing what we care about most deeply.” He further
explains the reciprocal relationship between happiness and authenticity: “As
much as authenticity contributes to the pursuit of happiness, then, happiness
in turn contributes to identifying our authentic selves” (p. 55). When people
limit their personal desires
4
(in order / in spite) to obtain certain goals,
they may achieve greater nancial success but actually end up unhappier.
4
5
(Finally / erefore), sometimes people benet from social rules
that encourage them to improve their lives, even when these laws cost more
money. While few people enjoy paying taxes, some taxes make people happier
6
(although / because) they improve the overall quality of people’s lives. In
their study of smoking and cigarette taxes, Gruber and Mullainathan (2006)
conclude that “taxes may aect the happiness of former smokers (by making
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148 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
to resist: to ght
against something
so that it does not
happen
prospective: related to
future possibility of
happening or coming
true
merely: simply; only
to enhance: to
improve
it easier to resist the temptation to resume smoking) or prospective smokers
(by making it easier to never start smoking in the rst place)” (p. 139). is
example demonstrates how a society’s rules can
7
(cause / lead) to the general
happiness of its populations, even through the apparently negative practice of
increased taxation. Taxes also contribute to the funds available for other social
purposes, which proves further justication for their use.
5 ese are merely three ways that scholars of happiness studies have
determined that people can employ to enhance their personal happiness.
People should avoid comparing themselves to others nancially. ey should
seek to live as their authentic selves in their personal and professional lives.
8
(Furthermore / In contrast), they should welcome rules, laws, and even
taxes that increase the general happiness of the population. Everyone says
they want to be happy, and happiness studies are helping people learn how
to lead happier lives rather than to passively expect happiness to nd them.
References
Gruber, J., & Mullainathan, S. (2006). Do Cigarette Taxes Make Smokers
Happier?. In Yew-Kwang Ng & Lok Sang Ho (Eds.), Happiness and
public policy: eory, case studies, and implications (pp.109–146).
Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006.
Layard, R. (2005). Happiness: Lessons from a new science. New York: Penguin.
Martin, M. (2012). Happiness and the good life. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
ACTIVITY 10
PracticingThree Kinds of Vocabulary fromContext
Read each important vocabulary word or phrase. Locate it in the essay if you need help remembering
the word or phrase. en circle the best synonym, antonym, or collocation from column A, B, or C.
Type of Vocabulary Important Vocabulary A B C
Synonyms
1. pursue chase mount overlook
2. obstacle difculty extinction forecast
3. authentic challenging likely real
4. scenario demeanor example verication
Antonyms
5. intriguing accurate uninteresting worthwhile
6. the former the incentive the latter the organizer
7. hinder facilitate navigate range
8. chief essential, vital far, remote minor, lesser
Collocations
9. the means ___ something do doing to do
10. care about something ___ deeply happily tritely
11. my overall ___ of core example impression
12. obtain a ___ desire goal tax
Building Better Vocabulary
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Consistent Verb Tense Usage
Good writers are careful to use the same verb tense throughout an essay. While it is true that an
essay may have, for example, some information about the past and some information about the present,
most of the information will be about one time, most likely either past or present. Do not change verb
tenses without a specic reason for doing so.
Explanation Examples
When describing an event in the past tense,
maintain the past tense throughout
your explanation.
In our experiment, we placed three live fresh-water plants
(each approximately 20 centimeters in length) into a quart jar
that was lled with fresh water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
We left the top two centimeters of the jar with air. We then
carefully added a medium goldsh.
When talking about facts that are always true,
use present tense in your explanation.
The sun is the center of the solar system. The earth and other
planets revolve around the sun. Most of the planets have
at least one moon that circles the planet, and these moons
vary tremendously in size, just as the planets do.
In writings such as a report, it is possible to
have different verb tenses reecting
different times.
According to this report, the police now believe that two
men stole the truck and the money in it.
Grammar for Writing
149
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150 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
Sentence Fragments
For many writers, sentence fragments, or incomplete sentences, are dicult to avoid. Writing a fragment
instead of a complete sentence is considered a very serious error because it shows a lack of understanding of
the basic components of a sentence, namely a subject and a verb that express a complete thought. Because
fragments are one of the most serious errors in writing, it is imperative to learn how to avoid them.
Explanation Examples
A sentence must have a subject and
a verb and be able to stand by itself
inmeaning.
✗ Because I read and studied the textbook often.
✓ I scored 97 on the quiz because I read and studied the text-
book often.
It is possible to begin a sentence with
because, although, if, when, or while,
but the sentence needs a second part
with another subject-verb combination.
✗ Because I studied for the nal exam a great deal.
✓ Because I studied a great deal, my score on the nal exam
was 99.
✓ My score on the nal exam was 99 because I studied a great deal.
ACTIVITY 12
Working with Fragments
Write C on the line next to complete sentences. Write F if there is a fragment and circle the fragment.
1. Despite the heavy wind and the torrential rain, the young trees around the lake were able
to survive the bad weather. It was a miracle.
2. e huge, two-story houses all have a very similar design. With no dierence except the
color of the roofs.
Grammar for Writing
ACTIVITY 11
Working with Consistent Verb Tense Usage
In the paragraph, correct the verbs where the tense shis for no reason.
e Experiment
In our experiment, we placed three live fresh-water plants (each
approximately 20 centimeters in length) into a quart jar that is lled with
fresh water at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. We le the top two centimeters of the jar
with air. We then carefully added a medium goldsh. Next, we tighten the lid
and wrapped tape tightly around the lid. is very last step is done to ensure
that no air can enter or exit the bottle. e jar was placed on a shelf where it is
exposed to indirect sunlight for approximately eight hours each day. At 1 p.m.
every day for a week, we observed the sh swimming in the jar. On several
occasions, we notice that the plants emit multiple bubbles of a gas. e sh
survived for the entire week. No food or air was provided. us, these green
plants in the jar produced a gas, and we believed this gas was oxygen.
Paragraph 4
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151
3. Ireland has a rich and colorful history. One with many stories of fairies and elves.
4. Shopping malls are a very popular tourist attraction in many cities, but some tourists are
not interested in them. Shopping is not for everyone.
5. Because of the popularity of the lm. Producers were anxious to begin work on itssequel.
6. e chef added so much spice to the stew that only the most daring of his patrons tasted
it. e result was that less than half of the food was consumed.
7. ere was a strange tension in the air. Aer so many years of separation.
8. My mother is so organized that she uses a color-coding system in her kitchen pantry. My
father, on the other hand, is one of the most unorganized people that I know.
9. What is a dream and why do we dream? Scientists really do not understand dreams, but I
wish someone could explain them to me.
10. ousands of commuters were late for work this morning. Since the bus workers are on
strike over pay and health benets.
For more work with sentence fragments, see the Brief Writer's Handbook with Activities, pages 217–220.
ACTIVITY 13
Editing an Essay: Review of Grammar
Ten of the een words or clauses in parentheses contain an error involving one of the grammar topics
featured in this unit. If the word or phrase is correct, write C. If it is incorrect, ll in the blank with a correction.
dramatically: greatly;
exceedingly
a ip: a turn from
one position to the
opposite
to revolutionize: to
change completely
(and possibly
suddenly)
overwhelmingly:
greatly; by a large
number or amount
an accomplishment:
anything a person
has been able to do
successfully, especially
after some difculty
to enable: to make
able to happen
Essay 15
How the Light Bulb Changed the World
1 Few inventions have changed the world as dramatically as omas
Alva Edison’s light bulb.
1
(With the ip of a switch. He turned darkness
into light, thus revolutionizing people’s lives.)
While the eects of the light bulb have been overwhelmingly positive,
scientists have also identied some of its harmful eects, proving that
even the greatest achievements oen bring with them unexpected side
eects that oset their advantages.
2
2
(One of the most positive of the light bulb’s accomplishments
is that it has allowed people to expand their lives into the dark hours of
night.)
Human productivity
3
(increases)
dramatically after its invention because better lighting enabled people
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prevalence: the
condition of being
widespread or
extremely common
to enhance: to
improve
to illuminate: to light up
potential: possible
virtually: just about;
almost completely
infrastructure: basic
structures, such as
roads and bridges,
needed for a region
to function properly
to acknowledge: to
show recognition
of; to admit that
something is real
to lament: to regret
to read, study, work, play, and socialize into the late hours.
4
(Also,
the prevalence of aordable lighting. is allowed companies to
continue to manufacture their products during the night hours, when
necessary.)
Electric lighting also enhanced public safety because of city streets being
illuminated without the potential danger of gas. Now that light bulbs
5
(are) everywhere, it is virtually impossible to imagine
a world without them, for they are a core part of the infrastructure of
modern society.
3
6
(Nonetheless, it is important to acknowledge the negative
consequences of the light bulb as well, including a phenomenon that
scientists term light pollution.)
Miranda (2003) laments the “changes in the biology of ecosystems, in
the life of people due to invasive lighting, and the ‘articialization’ of the
152 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
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153
primarily: mainly
urban: city; the
opposite of rural
frustrated:
disappointed;
unsatised
self-efcacy: the
power to produce
a desired result or
effect
convinced: very sure;
certain
to deserve: to merit
night” (p. 7).
7
(ese problems have been caused by excessive lighting.
Primarily in urban areas.)
8
(Animals and humans are biologically prepared for the
changing rhythms of night and day, and constant lighting undermines
these rhythms.)
Light pollution also
9
(clouded)
____________
the night skies so that
people cannot see the stars, which
10
(frustrated)
astronomers and anyone who
11
(loved) looking up to the
heavens to inspect its wonders.
4
12
(Another unintended consequence of the light bulb. Is a
phenomenon referred to as switch psychology, which theorizes that people
become conditioned by light switches and other modern conveniences to
expect immediate solutions to their problems.)
Switch psychology lessens a person’s sense of self-ecacy, which
Hockenbury and Hockenbury (2006) dene as “e degree to which you
are subjectively convinced of your own capabilities and eectiveness in
meeting the demands of a particular situation” (p. 486). People are so used
to light switches immediately bringing light that some nd themselves at a
loss for words when a light
13
(did not go)
on; they
feel that they are incapable of correcting the situation or undertaking any
steps to solve the problem.
5 Edison’s achievement with the light bulb rightly
14
(deserves)
_____________ celebration for its contributions to human comfort
and productivity. At the same time, we must be careful to recognize
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154 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
some of its unintended consequences, such as light pollution and
switchpsychology, that threaten to tarnish his shining legacy.
15
(Many lasting innovations that have contributed dramatically to
humanity’s advancement. ese innovations can also be the cause of
unintended results, and we must strive to mitigate these consequences to
take full advantage of their predominant benets.)
References
Hockenbury, D., & Hockenbury, S. (2006). Psychology (4
th
ed.). New York:
Worth.
Miranda, P. (2003). Discurso del representante de CONAMA (Both versions,
in English and in Spanish). In H. Schwarz (Ed.), Light pollution: e global
view (pp. 3–14). Dordrecht, e Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
ACTIVITY 14
PracticingThree Kinds of Vocabulary fromContext
Read each important vocabulary word or phrase. Locate it in the essay if you need help remembering
the word or phrase. en circle the best synonym, antonym, or collocation from column A, B, or C.
Type of Vocabulary Important Vocabulary A B C
Synonyms
1. incapable can not must not should not
2. prevalent common intentional key
3. revolutionize anticipate change mate
4. tarnish make dirty make happy make tired
Antonyms
5. urban indigenous rural vivid
6. convinced doubting dreading learning
7. excessive dramatic on account of very little
8. mitigate deserve increase mimic
Collocations
9. the main cause ___ something by of with
10. ___ everywhere dramatically substantially virtually
11. ___ someone’s help acknowledge denote merge
12. unintended ___ consequences fog goal
Building Better Vocabulary
to tarnish: to stain; to
lessen the image of
a legacy: a personal
history or record
an innovation: a new
idea, invention, or
method
to strive: to try hard
to do or achieve
something
to mitigate: to make
something less harsh
or severe
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155
In this section, you will follow the seven steps in the writing process to write a cause-eect essay.
If you need help, refer to Unit 2, pages 34–46.
ACTIVITY 15
Step 1: Choose a Topic
Your rst step is to choose a topic for your essay. For a cause-eect essay, you want to choose a topic
for which you can develop three causes of one eect or three eects from one cause. Your teacher may
assign a topic, you may think of one yourself, or you may choose one from the suggestions in the chart.
As you consider possible topics, ask yourself, “What do I know about this topic? What do my readers
know? What else do I need to know? Do I need to research this topic?”
Humanities
Literature: The effects of writing a novel on a computer
History: The causes of an important historical event such as World War I
Philosophy: The effects of Socrates on modern thought
Sciences
Biology: The causes of cancer
Geology: The effects of burning oil and gas
Meteorology: The causes of climate change
Business
Economics: The causes of ination
Personal
The effects of your attitude toward challenges in life
1. What topic did you choose?
2. Why did you choose this topic?
3. How well do you know this topic? What is your experience with it?
Original Student Writing:
Cause-Effect Essay
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156 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
ACTIVITY 16
Step 2: Brainstorm
A. Use the chart to brainstorm a list of possible causes and eects for your topic.
TOPIC:
Causes: Effects:
B. Now carefully consider the causes and eects. Which focus do you think would be better for your
essay? If you have more causes, then you should write a focus-on-causes essay with one eect. If you
have more eects, then you should write a focus-on-eects essay with one cause.
ACTIVITY 17
Step 3: Outline
Prepare a simple outline of your essay. Focus either on causes or on eects.
Title:
I. Introduction
A. Hook:
B. Connecting information:
C. esis statement:
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157
II. Body Paragraph 1 (Cause 1 or Eect 1):
A.
B.
III. Body Paragraph 2 (Cause 2 or Eect 2):
A.
B.
IV. Body Paragraph 3 (Cause 3 or Eect 3):
A.
B.
V. Conclusion:
Peer Editing of Outlines
Exchange books with a partner. Read your partner’s outline. en use the following questions to
help you to comment on your partner’s outline. Use your partner’s feedback to revise your outline.
1. How is this essay organized?
focus-on-causes method focus-on-eects method
2. Is there any aspect of the outline that is unclear to you? Give details.
3. Can you think of an area in the outline that needs more development? Make specic suggestions.
4. If you have any other ideas or suggestions, write them here.
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158 Unit 6 • Cause-Effect Essays
ACTIVITY 18
Step 4: Write the First Draft
Use the information from Steps 1–3 to write the rst dra of your cause-eect essay. Use at least
four of the vocabulary words or phrases from the Building Better Vocabulary activities in this unit.
Underline these words and phrases in your essay. Try to also use at least two of the words from the
Academic Word List in the Brief Writer’s Handbook with Activities on pages 230–231.
ACTIVITY 19
Step 5: Get Feedback from a Peer
Exchange papers from Step 4 with a partner. Read your partner’s rst dra. en use Peer Editing
Sheet 6(available online at NGL.Cengage.com/GW5) to help you to comment on your partner’s writing.
Be sure to oer positive suggestions and comments that will help your partner improve his or her essay.
ACTIVITY 20
Step 6: Revise the First Draft
Read the comments on Peer Editing Sheet 6 about your essay. en reread your essay. Can you identify
places where you should make revisions? List the improvements you plan to make.
1.
2.
3.
Use all the information from the previous steps to write the nal version of your paper. Oen,
writers will need to write a third or even a fourth dra to express their ideas as clearly as possible. Write
as many dras as necessary to produce a good essay.
ACTIVITY 20
Step 7: Proofread the Final Draft
Be sure to proofread your paper several times before you submit it so you nd all the mistakes and
correct them..
Additional Topics for Writing
Here are ten more ideas for topics for additional cause-eect essay writing.
PHOTO
TOPIC: Look at the photo on pages 132–133. ere are several dierent types of pollution, for example,
water, land, and light pollution. Choose one type of pollution. What are the causes or eects of
this type of pollution on the environment?
TOPIC 2: What are the causes of illiteracy?
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159
Timed Writing
How quickly can you write in English? ere are many times when you must write quickly, such
as on a test. It is important to feel comfortable during those times. Timed-writing practice can make
you feel better about writing quickly in English.
1. Read the essay guidelines below. en take out a piece of paper.
2. Read the writing prompt below the guidelines.
3. Write a basic outline including either one cause and more than one eect or a few causes and
one eect. You should spend no more than ve minutes on your outline.
4. Write a ve-paragraph essay.
5. You have 40 minutes to write your essay.
Cause-Eect Essay Guidelines
• Use the focus-on-causes or the focus-on-eects organization for this essay. Do not write about
multiple causes and multiple eects.
• Remember to give your essay a title.
• Double-space your essay.
• Write as legibly as possible (if you are not using a computer).
• Include a short introduction (with a thesis statement), three body paragraphs, and
aconclusion.
• Try to give yourself a few minutes before the end of the activity to review your work. Check for
mistakes in spelling and consistent verb tense, and look for sentence fragments.
We all face personal troubles in our lives. ink about a recent challenging
situation in your life at home, at work, at school, or with friends. What
were the causes of this situation? What were its eects? Although you will
discuss both causes and eects, remember to emphasize either the causes of
the situation or the eects of the situation.
TOPIC 3: What are the eects of overcrowding in cities?
TOPIC 4: What eects can one person have on the government?
TOPIC 5: Why do many people prefer foreign goods?
TOPIC 6: What are the causes of credit card debt?
TOPIC 7: Discuss how people’s childhood experiences inuence their lives.
TOPIC 8: What are the eects of sudden wealth (such as when a person wins the lottery)?
TOPIC 9: What are the eects of poverty?
TOPIC 10: What are the causes of a recent political crisis?
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