CAUSE – EFFECT – SOLUTION
I. WHAT IS CAUSE – EFFECT – SOLUTION ESSAY?
In “causes and effects” type of essay, IELTS examiners want you to discuss the causes or
reasons of the problem in one paragraph. The likely effects of that problem in the second
paragraph separately. Therefore, it is important that you find out relevant points of
causes (reasons) and effects for IELTS Writing. Similarly, you need to find effects and
solutions if you are required to do so.
II. USEFUL VOCABULARY AND STRUCTURES
1. Cause –Effect
a. Verbs
Cause………Effect Effect…….Cause
Affect/ Impact/ Influence be affected by/ be impacted by/ be influenced by
Alter/ Transform/ Modify be altered by/ be transformed by/ be modified by
Cause/ Lead to/Trigger/Result be caused by/ be triggered by
in be facilitated by
Contribute to/Play a role in result from/stem from/
Facilitate
Example:
The rising temperature of the sea is contributing to the destruction of coral reefs.
The destruction of coral reefs is facilitated by the rising temperature of the sea.
b. Nouns
Effect Cause
An impact of X is… X is a cause of….
A result of X is… X is a reason for….
A consequence of X X is a source of
is… X is a key factor in …
An effect of X is… X has a major influence on …
X has a positive effect on …
X has a significant impact on …
X is an important determinant of …
X and Y are important driving factors of Z.
X is generally seen as a factor strongly related to Y.
X is a significant contributory factor to …
This work has revealed several factors that are responsible for …
Example:
The impact of having more cars on the roads is more frequent traffic jams.
The cause of the frequent traffic jams on today’s roads is the increasing number of
private cars.
1
The result of increased investment in public transport is reduced congestion and better
air quality.
There are many consequences of the decision to reduce fuel subsidies, such as higher
prices for the consumer for everyday goods as well as for transport.
The source of the terrible air pollution in some major cities is the burning of coal for
heating in winter and the use of cars and other motorized transport.
c. Prepositional phrases
owing to
because of
200,000 people per year
as a result of a lack of iodine.
become deaf
as a consequence of
due to
d. Sentence connectors
If undernourished children do Therefore,
when they grow up, it
survive to become adults, they Consequently,
will probably be difficult
have decreased learning Because of this,
for them to find work.
ability. As a result (of this),
2. Solution
In order to solve this/these problem/s…
One answer is………
A second/third/final answer is….
In order to overcome this/these problem/s…
One solution is………
Another/ One approach to address this issue/challenge is..
To resolve/tackle this problem,…..
Example
The best way of resolving the problem of global warming would be to raise taxes.
The government need to address the problem of unemployment.
****Mini-practice 1: Write an outline of each paragraph provided
Paragraph 1: Drug addiction among teenagers comes from two main causes. The biggest
cause is their emotional instability. In this case, some teenagers only want to know what it
is like when taking drugs. Some may be persuaded by addicted friends, or some may be
deceived by drug-sellers. Another cause is the problem of broken homes. This issue can
make them depressed, anxious and hopeless. To relieve these depressing conditions, they
turn to drugs.
2
Topic sentence: There are two causes of drug addiction among teenagers.
Additional details:
ü Emotional instability: want to try drugs; be persuaded by addicted friends or be
deceived by drug-sellers.
ü Broken homes: feeling depressed, anxious and hopeless
Paragraph 2: There are three main problems associated with universal availability of
video games among children. Perhaps the major problem we need to deal with is the level
of violence found in these games. Many of them feature aggressive or warlike characters,
ranging from soldiers to criminals and killers. This inevitably leads children to believe that
such behaviour is normal, or even desirable. A second issue is the obsessive way that some
children use the games – for example, preferring their computers to real friendships,
making these children isolated and socially naïve. Finally, there are physical effects from
excessive gaming, including eye strain, insomnia and damage to posture. These can be
difficult to reverse once they have taken hold.
Topic sentence:
Additional details:
1.
2.
3.
Paragraph 3: Topic: People today often buy new things instead of fixing the old
things. Discuss the causes and effect of this.
There are a number of reasons for this trend. To begin with, the living standard is much
higher than the past. Therefore, people have more money to afford more new things in
order to keep up with the new trend or simply to show off. Another contributing factor to
mention is that all companies these days frequently have marketing strategies to boost/
increase the sale and attract the customers. For instance, in special occasions like
Christmas, customers can get a discount or a voucher to buy new things.
Topic sentence:
Additional details:
1.
2.
Paragraph 4: Several actions can be taken to increase the popularity of bicycles. The first
solution would be to make it more costly to own a motorbike or a car. This can be done by
increasing the price of petrol or raising tax on these vehicles. As a result, more people would
choose bicycles as their primary means of transport. Additionally, more lanes should be
built to serve only cyclists, which would make it much faster to travel with bicycles. The
final solution is to launch campaigns to raise citizens’ awareness of the harmful effects of
motorbikes and cars on the environment, and this could encourage people to cycle more
3
often.
Topic sentence:
Additional details:
1.
2.
3.
III. SAMPLE OF CAUSE-EFFECT-SOLUTION ESSAYS
Topic: Recent studies have suggested that children watched much more television
than they did in the past and spend less time on active and creative things. What
are the reasons and what measures should be taken to encourage children to
spend more time on active or creative activities?
(General Statement) In today's world, television has become an increasingly dominant
part of children's daily lives, while engagement in physical and creative pursuits is
witnessing a worrying decline. (Thesis Statement) Several underlying causes contribute
to this trend, but there are also practical solutions that can be implemented to encourage
children to spend more time on dynamic and imaginative activities.
(Body Par 01) (Topic Sentence 01) There are two factors responsible for this
concerning shift. (Reason 01) First and foremost, a lack of parental care can trigger the
unhealthy habit of spending large amount of time on television. (Support for Reason
01) Many parents today are overwhelmed by demanding work schedules and exhausting
household responsibilities—particularly in dual-income families—leaving them with
little time or energy to actively engage with their children. As a result, children are often
left to entertain themselves through television, which becomes a convenient substitute
for parental presence. (Reason 02) Second, the current education system places
disproportionate emphasis on academic performance and rote learning, leaving little
room for physical movement or creative expression. (Support for Reason 02) The
heavy focus on memorization and theoretical subjects discourages children from
developing holistically, as their schedules are tightly packed with lessons that offer
minimal opportunities for play, exploration, or innovation.
(Body Par 02) Urgent actions are called for to put a halt to the trend of excessive
television watching among children. (Solution 01) One effective solution would be to
launch awareness campaigns promoting responsible and balanced parenting. (Support
for Solution 01) Even with busy lifestyles, parents can learn to allocate time more
mindfully to ensure quality interaction with their children. Shared activities such as
reading, crafting, or outdoor play can serve as both bonding experiences and alternatives
to passive screen time. (Solution 02) Another crucial step is reforming the education
system to integrate more extracurricular and interest-based activities into school
curricula. (Support for Solution 02) Schools should be encouraged to support student-
led clubs and organize creative workshops, allowing children to explore their passions,
4
enhance social skills, and develop unique talents outside traditional academics.
(Summarize Par 01) To conclude, it is of my opinion that errors in parent teaching and
flawed education focus have impeded the incentive for children to lead a healthy life.
(Summarize Par 02) To address this, promoting effective parenting strategies and
fostering a more balanced, activity-rich learning environment are essential steps toward
reversing the current trend and nurturing well-rounded future generations.
IV. MAIN STRUCTURE
1. Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- State that there are causes and effects/causes and solutions/effects and solutions
2. Main Body Paragraph 1: Causes
Sentence 1- State that there are causes
Sentence 2- Give the first cause
Sentence 3- Give explanation or example to support the first cause
Sentence 4- Give the second cause
Sentence 5- Give explanation or example to support the second cause
3. Main Body Paragraph 2: Effects
Sentence 1- State that there are effects
Sentence 2- Give the first effect
Sentence 3- Give explanation or example to support the first effect
Sentence 4- Give the second effect
Sentence 5- Give explanation or example to support the second effect
4. Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sentence 2- State your viewpoint
V. ESSAY FORMAT
5.1. Introduction:
Suggestion 1:
(1) General statement:
In recent years, ....continues to be an area of focus in...
Over the past decades,......has become a growing/ dominant/ main/ major/ prevailing/
discernible trend in….
........ has become a matter of great concern in the recent years.
....... has become a matter of great concern for a long time/ has fascinated both the public
and the government.
(2) Thesis statement:
This problem happens due to some reasons, and it can have some adverse impacts on
society.
/Some explanation will be put forward before solutions are drawn to tackle the problem.
5
/Some explanation for this trend/issue/problem will be put forward before an analysis
of its impacts/effects on society and individual is given.
/ An analysis of its impacts/effects on society and individual will be given before certain
appropriate ways of addressing it are suggested.
/ The impacts/effects of this issue will be assessed/examined before certain solutions of
addressing it are suggested.
Although there are undoubtedly some negative consequences of this trend/practice,
measures can be taken to mitigate these potential problems.
/ There are several causes of......, and some solutions could be proposed to..../
There are several factors leading to this, and effective solutions should be
produced/adopted/offered/suggested to prevent this issue.
5.2. Body
* Causes:
(1) Topic sentence:
A few reasons can be given/uncovered to justify the trend of…/the problem of….
There are two significant reasons as to why….
The problem of….could be ascribed to a number of reasons.
(2) Introduce the first cause:
.... is widely recognized as the primary reason.
One underlying cause of the problem is......
One of the main causes of …..is……
The most common/obvious factor responsible for....is.....
A major cause of …….. is ….
Perhaps the major cause of this is …
The main/ primary cause of this is …
(3) Support the 1st main cause by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
• Example
For example,…
6
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
(4) Introduce the second cause:
Another factor that has intensified the its seriousness is ....
Another reason is attributed to....
Another reason leading to this situation is....
……..is another force contributing to....
……. is another factor that plays a big role in the increase of (the problem)......
A further cause of this is …
An additional cause of …. is
…. also plays a role in …
…… is (often/ usually) responsible for …
(5) Support the 1st main cause by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
• Example
For example,…
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
7
* Effects:
(1) Topic sentence:
The issue of ... will have marked influences on the society in several dimensions.
The trend/problem/issue exerts a number of (positive and negative/ advantageous and
disadvantageous) influences on…..
As a result, there are many possible consequences faced by….(somebody)
(2) Introduce the first effect:
One of the most positive/negative aspects is that......
Firstly,…… have (has) resulted in…..
Firstly,…… have (has) resulted from…..
Firstly,…… have (has) led to…..
One such ill-effect is…..
The result of….would be…..
…..have a positive/negative/unwanted/adverse effect on sb in terms of….
(3) Support the 1st main effect by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
• Example
For example,…
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
(4) Introduce the second effect:
Furthermore, it also gives rise to ...
Another effect of….is that….
8
Another consequence of…could be….
Moreover, …..have a positive/negative/unwanted/adverse effect on sb in terms of….
(5) Support the 2nd main effect by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
• Example
For example,…
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
* Solutions:
(1) Topic sentence:
Methods to cope with....are many, but the most effective ones are not remote or
complicated but practicable.
There are several actions that somebody could take to solve the problems described
above. Some measures can be taken to mitigate the problem of….
Several measures can be prompted to address the issue of….
Some solutions can be implemented to tackle the problem of….
(2) Introduce the first solution:
One approach to address/tackle....is....
In combating...., one should focus on.....
Firstly, a simple solution would be to...
The most practical measure is to….
One possible/notable way to solve/overcome/mitigate the problem would be….
9
People/Governments/The society/Individuals should focus their attention on + V_ing
(3) Support the 1st main solution by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
• Example
For example,…
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
(4) Introduce the second solution:
(3) Besides, tackling....requires.....
A second measure would be...
Another resolution would be….
(5) Support the 2nd main solution by Explanation or Examples
• Explain
Indeed,…/As a matter of fact,…(give detail)
It is evident that…/It is equivocally clear that…(linking)
That is to say…. (linking)
In other words,… (linking)
This is because… (giving reasons)
The reason is…. (giving reasons)
As a result,…. (describing result)
Therefore,…./Hence…/Accordingly,… (describing result)
It stands to reason that….
10
• Example
For example,…
For instance,…
As an illustration of this,…
To take a simple example,…
To give a brief example,….
This is shown/illustrated or exemplified by….
A typical example is…..
Anecdotal evidence shows that……
5.3. Conclusion
In conclusion,/ To conclude,….can be ascribed to (reason 1 and reason 2) . This issue can be
properly addressed by (solution 1 and solution 2).
To conclude, the problem….is caused by a number of factors such as (reason 1 and reason 2),
and both the positive and negative impacts of this issue can be seen in….
In conclusion,……derives from (reason 1 and reason 2). Strong measures such as (solution 1
and solution 2) should be implemented to tackle the situation.
To conclude, it is evident that there are several causes of…./ a variety of positive/ negative
effects imposed by…... Society must ensure steps are taken to prevent this problem from
deteriorating further.
VII. In-class practice: Change the essay into a better version:
In the developed world, average life expectancy is increasing. What problems will
this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to
reduce the impact of ageing populations.
People in industrialized nations live longer than ever before. There are undoubtedly
some negative consequences of this trend and some solutions to address these potential
problems.
Many problems happen as people live longer and the populations of developed countries
grow older. One, there will obviously be more people of retirement age, and they are
eligible to receive a pension. The proportion of younger, working adults will be smaller,
and governments will therefore receive less money in taxes in relation to the size of the
population. In the same way, an ageing population will mean a greater tax burden for
working adults. There are also some other issues such as demand for healthcare is
increasing, and young adults will increasingly have to look after their elderly relatives.
Let’s move to solutions to address such issues mentioned above. In first, a way to solve is
to increase the retirement age for working adults, perhaps from 65 to 70. Nowadays,
people of this age tend to be healthy enough to continue a productive working life. Two,
governments encourage immigration in order to increase the number of working adults
11
who pay taxes. Three, money from national budgets will need to be taken from other
areas and spent on vital healthcare, accommodation and transport facilities for the rising
numbers of older citizens.
In conclusion, there are problems with average life expectancy is increasing and we can
fix them.
VIII. Homework:
Many people believe that international tourism is a bad thing for their country. What are
the reasons? Solutions to change negative attitudes?
Suggestions:
Causes:
- the influx of foreign travelers could lead to increased level of environmental pollution.
à Many tourists throw rubbish
à growing demand for transport, decreases the air quality
- The high likelihood of spreading infectious diseases into the local community.
àFor example, viruses such as Ebola and H5N1. Ebola: from Africa to other countries ->
death
Solutions:
- the government launch campaigns to raise the awareness of tourists when they pay a
visit to a new land.
- there should be medical checks at international airports and borders.
à quarantine infected tourists
à make locals feel safer
12