How to Write a Cause and Effect Paragraph

Writing either cause or effect helps you focus on more details.

What makes something happen is called a cause. An effect is what happens as a result of the cause. Cause and effect paragraphs are not just written for English writing assignments; news reporters, magazine writers and bloggers also use them. However, writing with the cause and effect approach usually means separating cause and effect into different paragraphs.

Instructions

1. Decide whether to write about a cause or an effect or both. You can choose to discuss only the causes of an event or only the effects of an event. Alternately, you can discuss the causes AND effects of a certain event -- but if you do, you'll have to keep each of them brief and to the point.

2. Make a list of causes or effects. Then narrow down that list to include only the most important causes or effects.

3. Explain each cause or effect in the paragraph in as much detail as possible. Likely you will need to offer a little cause to an effect paragraph, or a little effect to a cause paragraph just to give it context.

4. Use transitional words in your paragraph, such as: also, as a result, because, first and finally.

5. Include in your paragraph a clear topic sentence. This sentence should state the main idea of your paragraph. In other words, what point are you trying to make?

6. Arrange your points in chronological order to show how events moved through time. Use your transitional words from Step 4 to accomplish this. You can also use order of importance, which describes events that are most important first.

Tips & Warnings

• Type your paragraph using 12-point font so it's not too small or big.

• Double-space your paragraph.

• Check over your paragraph many times for errors.

References

• ESLBEE: Writing Cause or Effect Essays