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Q. Discuss about expressing reasons and explanations/ cause and effects
I. EXPRESSING REASONS AND EXPLANATIONS
A. Expressing reasons
Understanding how to express reasons effectively is crucial for clear and coherent
communication in English. Whether you’re explaining why something happened or
providing the rationale behind a decision, using the correct structures can enhance
your writing and speaking.
This guide covers various ways to indicate reasons, including conjunctions
and prepositional phrases. By mastering these structures—” because,” “as,” “so,”
“since,” “for,” “because of + noun,” “due to + noun,” and “owing to + noun”—you
can articulate your thoughts with precision and clarity.
Each structure has its unique usage and context, which will be explored with
explanations and examples to help you understand their application.
Why expressing reasons is important
Understanding and explaining reasons is crucial for effective communication. It
allows you to convey your thoughts and intentions clearly, making it easier for
others to understand your perspective. Whether you are discussing work, personal
matters, or every day situation, being able to express reasons will help you connect
with others and build stronger relationships.
Ways of expressing reasons
They are many ways of expressing reasons as explained below:
1.Using “Because”
Explanation:
One of the most ways to express reasons is by using the word “Because”. This
simple conjunction helps you connect your reason to the action or decision you are
explaining.
1. What it is: “Because” is a conjunction used to introduce a clause that
provides the reason for something. It links a cause with its effect.
2. How it is used: It is placed before a clause (a group of words with a subject
and verb) that explains why something happens or is true. If these reason
words come at the beginning of the sentence, Perfect Grammar explains that
we put a comma in the middle to separate the clauses.
Examples:
1. She stayed home because she was feeling sick.
2. They canceled the picnic because it was raining.
3. I bought a new phone because my old one stopped working.
2. Using "As”
Explanation:
The word “as” can be used to express reasons, particularly when the reason is
closely related to the action or decision.
1. What it is: “As” is a conjunction used to indicate the reason for something.
It often has a similar meaning to “because,” though it can sometimes sound
more formal or explanatory.
2. How it is used: It is used at the beginning of a clause that provides the
reason, often in a more formal or explanatory context.
Examples:
1. As the project was behind schedule, they worked late into the night.
2. As she had no experience, she was given a mentor to help her.
3. As the car broke down, they had to call for a tow.
3.Using “So”
Explanation:
1. What it is: “So” is a conjunction used to indicate a result or consequence. It
connects a cause with its effect, showing what happened as a result of
something.
2. How it is used: It is used to introduce a clause that explains the result of the
preceding clause. Note that the clause with “so” usually follows the cause.
Examples:
1. She was late, so she missed the beginning of the movie.
2. The team practiced hard, so they won the championship.
3. He was tired, so he decided to go to bed early.
4. Using “Since”
Explanation:
Another way to express reason is by using the word “Since”. This is often used
when the reason is already known or implied.
1. What it is: “Since” can be used as a conjunction to provide a reason or
cause, similar to “because.” It also indicates the passage of time.
2. How it is used: When used to indicate reason, it is placed at the beginning
of a clause that provides the cause or reason.
Examples:
1. Since the weather was bad, the outdoor event was postponed.
2. Since she was the only one available, she had to take charge of the project.
3. Since the traffic was heavy, they arrived late to the meeting.
5.Using “For”
Explanation:
1. What it is: “For” is a conjunction used to introduce a reason or explanation.
It is more formal and is often used in writing.
2. How it is used: It is used to begin a clause that explains why something
happens, usually following the main clause.
Examples:
1. She decided to leave early, for she had an important appointment.
2. The event was canceled, for the guest speaker fell ill.
3. He didn’t attend the party, for he was feeling unwell.
6. Using “Because of + Noun”
Explanation: This is a preposition, so it is not followed by a clause with a verb, it
is followed by a noun or noun phrase
1. What it is: “Because of” is a prepositional phrase used to indicate the reason
behind something. It is followed by a noun or noun phrase.
2. How it is used: It is used to explain the cause or reason for something by
referring to a specific noun.
Examples:
1. The flight was delayed because of the severe weather.
2. They had to leave early because of the unexpected traffic jam.
3. The company closed because of financial difficulties.
7. Using “to + Noun”
Explanation:
Due to is a phrase that can be used to express reasons, especially in more formal or
written contexts.
1. What it is: “Due to” is a prepositional phrase used to express the cause of
something, typically followed by a noun or noun phrase. It often implies a
direct cause.
2. How it is used: It is used to explain the reason behind an outcome or
situation by referring to a specific noun.
Examples:
1. The cancellation was due to a lack of interest.
2. The road was closed due to construction work.
3. Her absence was due to illness.
8.Using “Owing to + Noun”
Explanation:
1. What it is: “Owing to” is a prepositional phrase used similarly to “due to”
to indicate the reason for something. It is slightly more formal.
2. How it is used: It is used to attribute the cause of something to a specific
noun or noun phrase.
Examples:
1. The match was postponed owing to bad weather.
2. The delivery was delayed owing to supply chain issues.
3. The event was cancelled owing to unforeseen circumstances.
9. Using “that's (the reason) why” (c.)
This relative clause is very commonly used to express reason (especially in its
short version)
My car's broken, that's the reason why I came walking I didn’t know she was your
sister, that’s why I didn't talk to her You speak very good English. Oh yes, I forgot
your mother's English. That's why
Conclusion
Mastering the use of different structures to express reasons allows you to convey
your ideas more effectively and accurately. Each structure—from “because” to
“owing to”—serves a specific purpose and can be employed in various contexts to
explain causes and consequences.
By familiarizing yourself with these expressions, you can enhance your ability to
provide clear explanations and reasoned arguments in both written and spoken
English. Practice using these structures in different scenarios to become more
proficient and confident in your communication.
B. Expressing Explanations
Explanations refers to the details or reasons that someone gives to make something
clear or easy to understand.
The explanation phrases are divided into two groups and suggested a few
expressions for each group:
Explaining a process
1. To start off (with)...
2. First, next, then ... OR Firstly, secondly...
3. Once you've done that, do ...
4. Lastly or Finally ...
Clarifying your thoughts
1. What I mean is...
2. What I meant was...
3. Let me put it this way...
4. The thing is ...
5. Well, you see ...
6. In other words ...
The list of phrases which can help you give clear explanations. As usual, you'll
notice the abbreviations F, SF, and I for formal, semi-formal and informal register,
respectively:
F: The main reason for doing this is to ...
F: Taking into account ..., it was clear that ...
SF: The most important point seems to me that ...
SF: It seems obvious that ...
I: It is important that ...
I: ... because I am sure that .
Examples using phrases for explaining and justifying:
1. The main reason for insisting on you sending us a joint invoice, is to simplify
and speed up the payment procedure.
2. It is important to remember that we have agreed on the mentioned price because
of the large amount of the goods you've ordered.
3. The main point is that you should pay by the end of next week in order for us to
start the production of TS2094 item.
II. EXPRESSING CAUSE AND EFFECTS
1. Definition
Cause and effect relationships explain the reason things happen or how things
became the way they are. The cause is the event that caused something else to
happen. The effect is what happened as a result of the cause. The cause happens
before the effect, but it doesn’t have to be written first.
When is writing about causes and effects useful?
Writing about causes is useful when we want to better understand and pinpoint the
origin of some type of phenomena such as coral bleaching, global warming,
earthquakes, health concerns such as cancer or disease, or to better examine
practical matters like a leaky roof or a bug infestation. Examining causes can lead
us to an educated course of action to remedy the situation.
Writing about effects is useful when we want to examine interrelated phenomena
such as why a wooden step crumbled (cause: termites / effect: wood crumbles),
why the Earth is habitable but the Moon is not (cause: Earth's water and
atmosphere / effect: sustains life), or why we crave horror movies (cause: society is
too polite / effect: people crave horror films for catharsis). Examining effects can
also lead to better courses of action or contribute to human knowledge and
understanding.
How do I use cause-effect in writing?
You write a causal analysis for one of three main purposes:
(1) to prove a specific point relying on facts in order to arrive at a conclusion (2) to
argue against a widely held belief using facts and educated opinions (3) to
speculate on a theory by presenting a hypothesis, providing opinion, and also using
facts.
Here is an example of using the cause-effect pattern in a paragraph:
I returned to college for several reasons. For one, I struggled to pay bills and feel
job satisfaction laboring at a minimum-wage job. Due to not graduating from
college, I was limited in my job and career options. Another factor was my sister
encouraged me to go back to college; she continually nagged me to go and even
offered to help me pack my belongings and travel cross-country to college. Finally,
given that my grandfather provided housing rent-free, I could also afford to return
to college. For these reasons, I was able to go back to college and complete my
bachelor’s degree.
2. Types of cause-effect paragraphs
2.1. Cause (reason) /effect (result): paragraph with one single type of
development
When you write cause/effect, you tell the reasons that something happened OR you
tell the results of something that happened.
Example of a topic sentence beginning a paragraph of causes:
My father became seriously ill two years ago for several reasons.
After reading this topic sentence, readers expect to learn why the writer’s father
became ill.
Example of a topic sentence beginning a paragraph of effects:
My father’s serious illness two years ago has led to many changes in our family.
After reading this sentence, readers expect to learn what changes took place in the
family as a result of the
father’s illness.
2.2. Cause (reason) and effect (result): paragraph with more than a single type
of development
A cause and effect paragraph discuss both the reasons that something happened
and the results.
Example of a topic sentence beginning a paragraph of cause and effect:
My father’s serious illness two years ago, which was the result of several unhappy
coincidences, has led to
many changes in our family.
After reading this sentence, readers expect to learn why the illness happened and
what happened within the
family as a result of the illness
3. Elements of the paragraph
PROBLEM CAUSE EFFECT
What is the problem?
When did it appear?
What symptoms tell you that a
problem exists?
What happened before you became
aware of the problem?
What conditions contributed to it?
What happened after the problem
arose?
What changes occurred as a result
of this problem?
4. Organization of the paragraph
You can organize a cause/effect paragraph in one of three ways. First, discuss both
the causes and effects of a problem or issue simultaneously or consecutively;
second, state an effect first and then discuss its causes; third, state a cause first and
then discuss its effects. Diagrammed these three methods look like this:
(1) C/E1, C/E2, C/E3
(2) E +
C1, C2, C3,
(3) C+ E1, E2, E3
5. Reasons as Causes
Writers justify opinions and points of view by presenting and explaining reasons.
Reasons can be causes of
actions. For example, the Declaration of Independence states the reasons for the
colonies’ desire to be
independent from England. Indeed, those reasons are presented as a “just cause.”
6. Order
The order of the causes and effects you discuss in your paper may be based on
time, space, emphasis, or a
combination.
• Time: If one stage leads to another, as in a discussion of the causes and effects of
upper atmospheric pollution,
your paper would be organized best by time.
• Space: In some instances, causes and effects are best organized by their relation
in space. For example, the
causes of an economic recession could be discussed in terms of local factors,
regional factors, national factors,
and inter- national factors.
• Emphasis: Some causes and effects may be more important than others. For
instance, if some causes of divorce
are primary (perhaps infidelity and physi- cal abuse) and others are secondary
(such as annoying habits and
laziness), a paper about divorce could present the secondary causes first, and then
move on to primary causes to
emphasize the latter as more important.
In some situations, two or more factors (such as time and emphasis) may be linked;
in that case, select the order
that best fits what you are trying to say, or combine orders.
7. Transitions
You should make sure to use the appropriate transitions. You should also make
sure to use the appropriate
punctuation.
Cause and effect transitions Degree of importance
As a result, because, in fact,
consequently, due to, because of,
if…then/so, leads to, therefore,
then, accordingly, since, as.
Above all
Equally important
Finally
First, second…last
Primarily
Transitions for listing causes as reasons
First reason, Second reason, Third reason, One reason, Most important, Major
reason, Primary reason, For instance, Another, In addition, Likewise, Similarly,
Specifically, Finally, Also, Furthermore, Moreover, Most important, ...
Using transitions
In order to not confuse your reader when switching between causes and effects, be
sure to use lots of transition words.
Words emphasizing CAUSES:
When we want to express causes we use words like because, since, due to, owing
to, given that, and seeing that
Words emphasizing EFFECTS:
In order to express effects as results we use words like for, thus, consequently,
therefore and accordingly.
REFFERENCES
-https://multimedia-english.com/grammar/how-to-express-reason-38
-https://ronalkaunda.com/express-reason-in-english/
- https://www.schooltube.com/mastering-the-art-of-explanation-expressing-
reasons-in-english/
- https://www.commonenglishphrases.com/2011/09/english-prases-and-
expressions-for-explanations/
-https://langeek.co/en/grammar/cource/1565/expressing-cause-and-effect