<p>One of the most common tasks on important tests is writing <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/using-adverb-clauses-with-time-expressions-1210680" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="1">cause and effect</a> essays or paragraphs. Here are some tips to help you write a cause and effect essay. </p><ul><li>Remember that causes come first, effects follow.</li><li>Learn multiple forms (also <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/tips-to-improve-writing-in-english-1212359" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="2">known as equivalencies</a>) so that you can vary your writing style.</li><li>Use an effective hook to catch the reader&#39;s attention.</li><li>Always use examples to provide evidence.</li><li>Use <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/sentence-connectors-and-sentences-1212369" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="3">linking language</a> such as conjunctive adverbs, or listing words to organize your paragraphs.</li><li>Use a <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/how-to-write-an-essay-p2-1209096" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="4">hamburger essay form</a> (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion) for cause and effect essays.</li><li>Begin by brainstorming (example below). Next, write a quick outline using ideas created by brainstorming. </li><li>Use your outline as a map to writing your essay. It may take a few minutes to develop an outline, but having an outline results in a much clearer essay.</li></ul><h3> </h3><p>Step 1: Brainstorming </p><p>Brainstorm your essay. Brainstorming is used to create as many ideas as possible. Don&#39;t worry whether your ideas are good or bad, just come up with as many as possible. Here is some brainstorming for essays on four different topics:</p><h3> </h3><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Issue</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Causes</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Effects</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Students speak their own language at school</em></p></td><td><p>Many students have same language in class</p><p>Don’t care to learn language</p><p>Afraid of making mistakes</p><p>It’s easier to understand each other</p><p>It happens automatically</p></td><td><p>Other people can’t understand me</p><p>Bad grades</p><p>Waste of money</p><p>Waste of time</p><p>You make closer friends</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>People have fewer babies</em></p></td><td><p>Cost of education</p><p>Health issues</p><p>Lack of time</p><p>Don’t like children</p><p>Babies cost a lot of money</p><p>People don’t want body changes</p><p>People are having children older</p></td><td><p>Old people can’t be helped</p><p>Better relationship</p><p>Population decrease</p><p>Spoilt children</p><p> </p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>People eat too much fast food</em></p></td><td><p>Time</p><p>Price</p><p>Easy</p><p>Not interested in cooking</p><p>Advertising</p></td><td><p>Not healthy</p><p>Waste money</p><p>Not share with other people</p><p>Obesity</p><p>More free time for fun</p><p>Get annoyed / bored</p></td></tr><tr><td><p><em>Globalization</em></p></td><td><p>Technology</p><p>Apple</p><p>Fashionable</p><p>Cinema / Entertainment</p><p>Social media</p><p>Education</p><p>Countries opening borders</p><p>Easy to travel</p></td><td><p>Easy to travel</p><p>Need to speak English / Chinese</p><p>Connected to the whole world</p><p>Losing your own culture</p><p>More competition</p><p>Synergies</p><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table><h3> </h3><h3>Step 2: Write an Outline</h3><p>It&#39;s important to create a map of your essay. There&#39;s no need to write out full sentences, just take ideas from your brainstorming and use them to fill out the outline. Next, come up with a hook and a topic sentence for your introductory paragraph. Here&#39;s an example:</p><p><strong>Introduction:</strong></p><p>Statistic about obesity</p><p><strong>Topic sentence: </strong></p><p>Obesity has become the number one threat to good health in developed countries.</p><p><strong>Body I - Causes</strong></p><p>Cause 1: Price</p><p>Cause 2: Advertising</p><p>Cause 3: Time</p><p><strong>Body II - Effects</strong></p><p>Effect 1: Poor health</p><p>Effect 2: Less time for family, more time for work</p><p><strong>Effect 3: Stress</strong></p><p>Body III - Possible Changes</p><p>Change 1: Education</p><p>Change 2: Don&#39;t eat at chains</p><p>Change 3: Choose fruit and vegetables </p><p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p><h3>Step 3: Use Forms for Showing Cause and Effect</h3><p>The final step is to write your essay or paragraph. Use the following language formulas for showing cause and effect in your essays and paragraphs. Make sure to use a variety of sentences including <a href="https://www.thoughtco.com/complex-sentence-worksheet-1210448" data-component="link" data-source="inlineLink" data-type="internalLink" data-ordinal="5">compound and complex sentences</a>.</p><table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td><p><strong>Causes</strong></p></td><td><p><strong>Effects</strong></p></td></tr><tr><td><p>There are several reasons for XYZ … (First, … Second…, Finally, …)</p><p><em>There are several reasons for obesity. First, nowadays many people eat too much junk food. Second, ...</em></p><p>There are two main factors. The first factor …, Another factor …</p><p><em>There are two main factors that account for increasing obesity. The first factor is the increase in junk food. Another factor is ...</em></p><p>The first cause is… / The next cause is …</p><p><em>The first cause is too little exercise. The next cause is ...</em></p><p>This / XTZ leads to …</p><p><em>Smoking leads to heart disease.</em></p><p>One possible cause is …</p><p><em>One possible cause is a lack of sleep.</em></p><p>Another possible cause is …</p><p><em>Another possible cause is too much stress.</em></p><p>ABC may lead to XYZ …</p><p><em>Increased smart phone use may lead to addiction.</em></p><p> </p></td><td><p> </p><p>Before… Now…</p><p><em>Before, people used to eat at home. Now, many eat on the run.</em></p><p>A second result / outcome</p><p><em>A second result of too little exercise is apathy.</em></p><p>One effect is … Another effect is …</p><p><em>One effect is a decrease in appetite. Another effect is general laziness.</em></p><p>Another result is …</p><p><em>Another result is students feel pressure to get good grades at any cost.</em></p><p>They may feel / think / purchase …</p><p><em>They may think that without good grades there are fewer chances in the workplace.</em></p><p>As a consequence of ABC, XYZ occurs / happens / etc.</p><p><em>As a consequence of too little sleep, stress related diseases occur.</em></p><p>Also, / Too, / In addition,</p><p><em>Also, students take too little time to relax.</em></p><p>Thus, / Therefore, / Consequently</p><p><em>Consequently, there is a shortage of possible jobs.</em></p><p> </p></td></tr></tbody></table>