Humanities › Languages Writing Cause and Effect Essays for English Learners Share Flipboard Email Print Writing Cause and Effect Essays. James McQuillan / Getty Images Languages English as a Second Language Writing Skills Basics Pronunciation & Conversation Vocabulary Reading Comprehension Grammar Business English Resources for Teachers Spanish French German Italian Japanese Mandarin Russian English Grammar View More by Kenneth Beare Kenneth Beare has taught English and English as a second language teacher since 1983. Updated December 23, 2018 One of the most common tasks on important tests is writing cause and effect essays or paragraphs. Here are some tips to help you write a cause and effect essay. Remember that causes come first, effects follow.Learn multiple forms (also known as equivalencies) so that you can vary your writing style.Use an effective hook to catch the reader's attention.Always use examples to provide evidence.Use linking language such as conjunctive adverbs, or listing words to organize your paragraphs. Use a hamburger essay form (introduction, three body paragraphs, conclusion) for cause and effect essays.Begin by brainstorming (example below). Next, write a quick outline using ideas created by brainstorming. 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. Step 1: Brainstorming Brainstorm your essay. Brainstorming is used to create as many ideas as possible. Don'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: IssueCausesEffectsStudents speak their own language at schoolMany students have the same language in classDon’t care to learn a languageAfraid of making mistakesIt’s easier to understand each otherIt happens automaticallyOther people can’t understand meBad gradesWaste of moneyWaste of timeYou make closer friendsPeople have fewer babiesCost of educationHealth issuesLack of timeDon’t like childrenBabies cost a lot of moneyPeople don’t want body changesPeople are having children olderOld people can’t be helpedBetter relationshipPopulation decreaseSpoilt children People eat too much fast foodTimePriceEasyNot interested in cookingAdvertisingNot healthyWaste moneyNot share with other peopleObesityMore free time for funGet annoyed/boredGlobalizationTechnologyAppleFashionableCinema / EntertainmentSocial mediaEducationCountries opening bordersEasy to travelEasy to travelNeed to speak English / ChineseConnected to the whole worldLosing your own cultureMore competitionSynergies Step 2: Write an OutlineIt's important to create a map of your essay. There'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's an example:Introduction: Statistic about obesityTopic sentence: Obesity has become the number one threat to good health in developed countries.Body I - CausesCause 1: PriceCause 2: AdvertisingCause 3: TimeBody II - EffectsEffect 1: Poor healthEffect 2: Less time for family, more time for workEffect 3: StressBody III - Possible ChangesChange 1: EducationChange 2: Don't eat at chainsChange 3: Choose fruit and vegetables ConclusionStep 3: Use Forms for Showing Cause and EffectThe 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 compound and complex sentences.CausesEffectsThere are several reasons for XYZ … (First, … Second…, Finally, …)There are several reasons for obesity. First, nowadays many people eat too much junk food. Second, ...There are two main factors. The first factor …, Another factor …There are two main factors that account for increasing obesity. The first factor is the increase in junk food. Another factor is ...The first cause is… / The next cause is …The first cause is too little exercise. The next cause is ...This / XTZ leads to …Smoking leads to heart disease.One possible cause is …One possible cause is a lack of sleep.Another possible cause is …Another possible cause is too much stress.ABC may lead to XYZ …Increased smartphone use may lead to addiction. Before… Now…Before, people used to eat at home. Now, many eat on the run.A second result/outcomeA secondary result of too little exercise is apathy.One effect is … Another effect is …One effect is a decrease in appetite. Another effect is general laziness.Another result is …Another result is students feel pressure to get good grades at any cost.They may feel/think/purchase …They may think that without good grades there are fewer chances in the workplace.As a consequence of ABC, XYZ occurs / happens / etc.As a consequence of too little sleep, stress-related diseases occur.Also,/ Too,/In addition,Also, students take too little time to relax.Thus,/Therefore,/ConsequentlyConsequently, there is a shortage of possible jobs. Continue Reading