Lesson 8 common cause and effect structures

Showing cause effect

Within a sentence

Between sentences

Because of + noun

Because + subject + verb

Another (cause, effect, reason)

Owing to + noun

Due to + noun

Subject + verb, so subject + verb

Subject + verb so that subject + verb

As a result / therefore / because of this, subject + verb

Ways of expressing past actions

explanation

examples

Use the simple past tense for an action that is complete.

The simple past tense is formed by adding -ed -d to the base form of regular verbs. Irregular verbs use a variety of forms.

Because she worked so hard, her business became very successful.

Worked regular

Became irregular

Use the past progressive tense for an action that was in progress in the past and was interrupted by another action.

The past progressive tense is formed with was or were + the -ing form of the verb

I was studying for my final exam when I got the terrible news.

Was studying = past progressive

When I got the terrible news = interruption

The present perfect tense can describe two kinds of past actions.

An action that began in the past and continues now.
A completed action that is important to the current situation or discussion.

The present perfect is formed with have or has + the past participle of the verb.

These people have lived in this area for almost a century.

Many citizens are upset because the government has increased taxes again.

Use the past perfect tense when there are two past actions in order to show clearly which one happened first. The earlier action is in the past perfect, and the later action is usually in the simple past tense.

The past perfect tense is formed with had + the past participle (gone, worked)

Note: this tense is not used very often.

Hint: if you cannot think of a specific reason to use the perfect past tense, do not use it. Use the simple past instead.

Dinosaurs had disappeared long before humans appeared on the earth.

Had disappeared = past perfect (1st action)

Appeared = simple past (2nd action)

Put the verbs in the correct tense.

Possible causes of Bullying

Bullying behavior can occur for many reasons. Young people often begin bullying because they (want)_______ to control those who are weaker than they are. In fact, many bullies act this way because they (experience) _________ an attack by a bully themselves. Another reason that some kids bully other children is to establish a well-known identity in school. If they (not have)______ a unique and well known identity in school before they began bullying, now they (do)_______. Finally, some children become bullies to get attention. In many households, both parents (work) _______ outside the home, so they have difficulty spending enough quality time with their children. Very often they (not be) _______ even aware of their children's activities. Bullying does not occur in a vacuum. It stems from a number of sources, and it is up to those people closest to the bullies to try to change their destructive and hurtful behavior.

Preposition combination with noun

Common noun + preposition combinations

Cost of

Order of

State of

Increase in

Have an effect on

Limitations of

Request for

Alternative to

Decrease in

Price of

Source of

Reason for

Answer to

Trouble with

Means of

Lack of

Need for

Application for

Demand for

Interest in

Common preposition + noun combinations

In reality

For dinner

For sale

On television

Under pressure

By hand

In general

In writing

For the record

Out of date

In order

In the beginning

In stock

Out of order

With reference to

At every point

In a hurry

In other words

In fact

At the same time

Exercise

Complete with the correct preposition

The unforeseen impact of air conditioning

I certainly understand that there is a huge need___ air conditioning. ____ the same time, however, I am concerned about the negative effects that air conditioning has had ____ our lives. To be sure, air conditioning has benefited us, but what has the price ____ this benefit been? First of all, people do not get outside as much. People tend to stay cooped up inside their air conditioned homes. As a result, they are not getting as much fresh air. Second, there has been a decrease ______ the amount of exercise that people are doing. They do not even walk outside on some days, which means that they are ______ fact doing a lot less exercising. Finally the invention of air conditioning has caused us to work longer hours because employers expect us to stay inside our comfortable work space all day long. In sum, air conditioning might appear to be a positive thing, but it has had a t least three negative effects.

Cooped up: stuck in a small, confined space.

Example sentences.

Because of + Noun:

Because of the heavy rain, the streets flooded, causing traffic delays.
The event was canceled because of the sudden outbreak of illness among the participants.
They missed their flight because of the airport's strict security measures.

Because + Subject + Verb:

The tree fell because the strong winds uprooted it.
She arrived late because her car broke down on the way to the meeting.
The team lost the game because they underestimated their opponents' skills.

Another (Cause, Effect, Reason):

Another cause of the traffic congestion was the ongoing road construction.
The doctor prescribed a different medication as an effect of the patient's allergic reaction to the initial treatment.
Another reason for the project's delay was the unexpected shortage of materials.

Owing to + Noun:

The flight was delayed owing to inclement weather conditions.
The ceremony was postponed owing to the absence of the guest of honor.
The event's success was largely owing to the dedicated efforts of the organizing committee.

Due to + Noun:

The meeting was rescheduled due to a scheduling conflict with key attendees.
The concert was canceled due to the lead singer falling ill.
The decline in sales was due to the economic downturn in the region.

Subject + Verb, so Subject + Verb:

The road was slippery, so the driver slowed down to avoid accidents.
She forgot her umbrella, so she got drenched in the rain.
The temperature dropped suddenly, so we turned up the heating to stay warm.

Subject + Verb so that Subject + Verb:

He studied hard so that he could pass the exam with flying colors.
They saved money diligently so that they could afford to travel around the world.
She exercised regularly so that she could maintain her physical fitness and stamina.

As a result / Therefore / Because of this, Subject + Verb:

As a result of the heavy rainfall, the river overflowed its banks, flooding nearby homes.
The project deadline was moved up; therefore, the team had to work overtime to meet it.
The flight was delayed, because of this, passengers missed their connecting flights.
Because of this, the company implemented new security measures to protect its sensitive data.
The team lost the game, as a result, they were eliminated from the tournament.
She forgot her phone at home; therefore, she couldn't contact her friends during the trip.
The accident caused a major traffic jam; because of this, commuters were stuck in traffic for hours.
The computer crashed unexpectedly, as a result, she lost all her unsaved work.
The price of fuel increased; therefore, the cost of transportation rose significantly.
The store offered discounts on its products; because of this, sales increased by 20% compared to last month.

PREPOSITION COMBINATION

Cost of:

The cost of living in the city has been steadily increasing over the past decade.
We need to consider the cost of materials before finalizing the budget for the project.

Order of:

The teacher rearranged the seating plan to change the order of students in the classroom.
Please follow the correct order of steps when assembling the furniture.

State of:

The government is concerned about the deteriorating state of public infrastructure.
She was shocked by the poor state of the house when she visited after a long time.

Increase in:

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of visitors to the museum since the new exhibit opened.
The company announced an increase in salaries to retain top talent.

Have an effect on:

The recent policy changes will likely have an effect on small businesses.
His words didn't seem to have an effect on her decision to resign.

Limitations of:

We need to be aware of the limitations of our resources before starting the project.
The study highlighted the limitations of current medical treatments for the disease.

Request for:

She submitted a formal request for additional funding for her research project.
The customer sent a request for a refund due to dissatisfaction with the product.

Alternative to:

Cycling is a great alternative to driving for short distances.
She was considering meditation as an alternative to medication for managing stress.

Decrease in:

There has been a significant decrease in the number of reported cases of flu this season.
The recent tax cuts led to a noticeable decrease in government revenue.

Price of:

The price of gasoline has been steadily rising, affecting the cost of transportation.
She carefully considered the price of the house before making an offer.

Source of:

The river is a vital source of drinking water for the local community.
Lack of exercise is often a source of health problems in modern society.

Reason for:

Lack of communication was the main reason for the misunderstanding between them.
The heavy rain was the reason for the cancellation of the outdoor event.

Answer to:

The key to the puzzle is the answer to the last question.
She couldn't find the answer to the math problem in the textbook.

Trouble with:

He's been having trouble with his computer since yesterday's update.
The car has been causing a lot of trouble with its engine lately.

Means of:

The internet provides a fast and efficient means of communication.
Education is often seen as a means of social mobility in society.

Lack of:

The project's failure was largely due to a lack of proper planning.
There is a noticeable lack of diversity in the company's leadership.

Need for:

There is an urgent need for more affordable housing in the city.
The recent events highlighted the community's need for better mental health services.

Application for:

She submitted her application for a scholarship to the university's financial aid office.
He filled out the application for a work visa to pursue employment opportunities abroad.

Demand for:

There is a high demand for organic produce in the market.
The company struggled to keep up with the demand for its new product.

Interest in:

There has been a growing interest in sustainable living practices in recent years.
Her interest in photography led her to pursue it as a hobby.
In reality:
1. In reality, the situation is more complicated than it seems at first glance.
2. She realized that in reality, her fears were unfounded.
For dinner:
1. We're having pasta for dinner tonight, as it's quick and easy to make.
2. She prepared a delicious roast chicken for dinner to celebrate the special occasion.
For sale:
1. They put their old car for sale at a reasonable price.
2. The antique shop has unique items for sale that collectors often seek out.
On television:
1. The news anchor reported the breaking news on television this morning.
2. She saw her favorite singer perform live on television last night.
Under pressure:
1. He performs well under pressure during critical moments in the game.
2. The team worked tirelessly under pressure to meet the project deadline.
By hand:
1. She crafted the intricate design by hand using traditional techniques.
2. The letter was written by hand to add a personal touch to the message.
In general:
1. In general, people tend to prefer warmer climates for vacation destinations.
2. She finds that in general, exercise helps improve her mood and energy levels.
In writing:
1. The agreement was documented in writing to avoid any misunderstandings.
2. She received the job offer in writing via email.
For the record:
1. She clarified her stance for the record, emphasizing her commitment to the cause.
2. For the record, he wanted to make it clear that he was not involved in the decision-making process.
Out of date:
1. The information in the old textbook is out of date and no longer relevant.
2. She realized that her passport was out of date just days before her planned trip abroad.
In order:
1. Please make sure all the documents are arranged in order before submitting the application.
2. He followed the instructions in order to assemble the furniture correctly.
In the beginning:
1. In the beginning, she struggled with the new job responsibilities, but she quickly adapted.
2. He felt nervous in the beginning, but his confidence grew as he gained more experience.
In stock:
1. The store has a wide selection of products in stock for customers to choose from.
2. Unfortunately, the item I wanted to buy is not currently in stock.
Out of order:
1. The elevator is out of order, so we'll have to take the stairs.
2. The printer is out of order, and we need to fix it before we can print the documents.
With reference to:
1. She made several important points with reference to the latest research findings.
2. He included additional details with reference to the historical context of the event.
At every point:
1. The guide emphasized safety at every point during the hiking expedition.
2. They ensured that quality control measures were followed at every point of the production process.
In a hurry:
1. She rushed out of the house in a hurry, forgetting her keys on the kitchen counter.
2. He completed the assignment in a hurry, resulting in several errors in his work.
In other words:
1. She explained the concept in simple terms, in other words, so everyone could understand.
2. He suggested canceling the event; in other words, he believed it wasn't worth the effort.
In fact:
1. She claimed to be an expert, but in fact, she had very little experience in the field.
2. The rumor turned out to be true; in fact, the company was planning to relocate.
At the same time:
1. She was excited about the new opportunity, but at the same time, she felt nervous about the changes.
2. At the same time, they were celebrating their success, they were also planning for future challenges.