Paragraph Structure

Cause and Effect

"If you prove the cause, you at once

prove the effect; and conversely nothing can

exist without its cause."

(Aristotle, Rhetoric)

Debbie LahavBusiness English

Ruppin Academic Center

Showing Causes and Effects

The cause is the reason an event happens. The effect is the result of the cause. You can write about the causes of an event or

action. You can write about the effects of a cause.

Organization 1: Writing about Causes

Topic sentence: statement of the effect and overview of the causes

Body: causes, arranged in chronological or logical order Cause 1 Cause 2 Cause 3

Conclusion: restatement of effect, summary of causes – call for action

Organization 2: Writing about Effects Topic sentence: statement of cause and

overview of the effects Body: effects, arranged in chronological or

logical order Effect 1 Effect 2 Effect 3

Conclusion: restatement of cause, summary of effects – call for action

Class Task: Read the paragraph. How is the information

organized – by cause or by effect?

Prepare a table or flow chart to show the cause-effect relationship.

Task 1 In recent decades, cities have grown so large that now

about 50% of the Earth's population lives in urban areas. There are several reasons for this occurrence. First, the increasing industrialization of the nineteenth century resulted in the creation of many factory jobs, which tended to be located in cities. These jobs, with their promise of a better material life, attracted many people from rural areas. Second, there were many schools established to educate the children of the new factory laborers. The promise of a better education persuaded many families to leave farming communities and move to the cities. Finally, as the cities grew, people established places of leisure, entertainment, and culture, such as sports stadiums, theaters, and museums. For many people, these facilities made city life appear more interesting than life on the farm, and therefore drew them away from rural communities.

Homework Task

Before writing, organize your information in a table or flow chart showing the cause(s) and effect(s).

Type your paragraph in Word. When you finish, check your work.

Copy and paste your table showing the organization of information and the paragraph in the task text box on Moodle. Remember to click the icon changing the paragraph direction to left to right.

There are many reasons why Internet marketing and sales are becoming more and more popular.

Option 1: Choose one reason (cause) and write a paragraph explaining how it effects Internet marketing and sales.  Option 2: Choose one effect of Internet marketing and sales and write a paragraph explaining the reasons for that particular effect.