Text Structure: Cause and Effect

Recognize text that explains why something happens and what happens as a result.

A cause-and-effect structure explains why something happened (the cause) and what happened because of it (the effect). Science and history texts use this structure a lot. Signal words include because, so, as a result, therefore, since, and due to. Read: 'Because the beavers built a dam across the stream, the water backed up and formed a pond.

As a result, frogs and ducks moved into the new wetland. ' The dam is the cause. The pond is an effect, and that pond then causes another effect: new animals arriving. This is a cause-and-effect chain. To find causes and effects, ask: What happened? Why did it happen?

• 1Cause = why it happened; effect = what happened.
• 2Signals: because, so, as a result, therefore, due to.
• 3One effect can cause another, making a chain.