The Perfect Format for Writing A Cause and Effect Essay

A Cause and Effect essay describes the relationship between what happened and why it happened – in other words, the cause and its effect. This concept is universal, as it touches almost every aspect of life and existence. For instance, if a hypothetical seed is sown, it is expected to bear fruit as an effect. Similarly, if an accident occurs, it follows that there should be a reason why it happened.

As you will imagine, there are countless examples of cause and effect essays because every condition can be traced to a cause and effect. However, a definitive cause and effect essay stands out from other descriptive essays because of its writing format coupled with its tone and the use of natural cause and effect words and transition words.

Cause and Effect Essay as a Type of Descriptive Essay

A descriptive essay, by definition, is a genre of essay that describes a person, object, a place, experience, or a condition. Cause and effect essays fall under this category and hence are judged by the standards of descriptive essay writing. In this light, the writer of this kind of paper will endeavor to create a vivid picture in the mind of the reader.

How to Write the Cause and Effect Essay in Four Simple Steps

1. First, choose an appropriate topic and identify the cause(s) and effect(s). Depending on your project, you may decide to write only about the causes, or the effects, or both. As a rule, ask the question, “why did this happen?” to identify the causes and “what happened because of this?” to identify the effects. In practice, you will realize that a single cause can lead to multiple effects and vice versa.  
2. Next, outline the structure of the essay. An effective essay structure looks like this:
   • An Introduction which includes the thesis statement
   • A Body that builds upon the thesis statement
   • A conclusion that summarizes the body and reinforces the thesis statement.
    
3. Now, write out your thesis statement, which clearly states the cause and effect you would describe in the essay.
4. Finally, organize supporting details that expand your thesis statement in sentences and paragraphs. It is advisable to follow one of the three standard methods of arranging your essay paragraphs, namely:
• The chronological order which follows the time each event occurred
• The categorical order which groups events based on similarity
• The order of importance which arranges the events according to how significant they are.

When linking your points, it is essential to use the right cause and effect transition words when appropriate.

Typical Cause and Effect Essay Transition Words and Phrases

For Causes, use words like since, because, due to, for this reason, another is, for, first, second, etc.

For Effects, use words like therefore, thus, consequently, as a result, resulted in, one result is, etc., in between your points.

Some Writing Tips for Cause and Effect Essay Writers

• As much as possible, quote facts and figures to highlight your points.
• Try to qualify your points for causes and effects using words like “highly likely,” “evidence suggests,” “approved” and other variants.
• Use a persuasive tone and clear instances to drive your message home.

Examples of Cause and Effect Essays

For your practice, try your hands on the following sample topics for cause and effect essays.

1. The Effect of Social Media in American Schools
2. The Causes and Effect of Climate Change
3. Gun Violence in North America
4. The Impact of Globalization on your Country’s Economy
5. The Future Consequence of Domestic Violence in Modern Society
6. How Has Your Hobby Affected Your Academic Performance
7. The Causes of Divorce and Its Effect on Children
8. The Effects of Drug Abuse among Youths
9. How Modern Educational Applications is Affects Learning
10. Possible Causes of Natural Disasters

More samples of Cause and Effect essays can be found on MyPaperWriter.com. The website also features several samples other essays types.