🔗 Discourse Markers of Cause and Effect

Mastering Logical Connections: Because, Therefore, Consequently, and More

🎯 Objective

To help learners master discourse markers of cause and effect - connecting words and phrases that show causal relationships, including reason markers like "because," "since," and result markers like "therefore," "consequently," "as a result."

📖 What are Discourse Markers of Cause and Effect?

Discourse markers of cause and effect are linking words and phrases that establish logical relationships between ideas, showing how one event, action, or situation leads to or results from another. They help create coherent, well-structured arguments and explanations.

Type Function Examples Usage Context
Causal Subordinators Introduce reasons because, since, as, due to Dependent clauses
Result Connectors Show consequences therefore, thus, consequently Independent clauses
Purpose Markers Express intentions so that, in order to, for Goal-oriented actions
Phrasal Connectors Formal linking as a result, for this reason Academic/formal writing

📚 Step-by-Step Guide: Mastering Cause and Effect Discourse Markers

Understanding Causal Relationships

Key Concept: Cause and effect relationships show how events are connected. The cause is why something happens, and the effect is what happens as a result.

Logical Flow: Cause → Effect OR Effect ← Cause (depending on sentence structure)

Example: It rained heavily (CAUSE) → the match was cancelled (EFFECT)

  • Cause first: "Because it rained heavily, the match was cancelled."
  • Effect first: "The match was cancelled because it rained heavily."

Group 1: Causal Subordinators (Introducing Reasons)

🔹 BECAUSE - Direct Causation

Meaning: Shows a direct, clear reason for something

Grammar: Subordinating conjunction - creates dependent clause

Usage Patterns:

  • Cause first: "Because I was tired, I went to bed early."
  • Effect first: "I went to bed early because I was tired."
  • Emphasis: Starting with "because" emphasizes the reason

Formal writing: "The experiment failed because the temperature was not controlled properly."

Informal speech: "I'm late because traffic was terrible."

Note: Most common and versatile causal marker

⏰ SINCE - Time-Based or Known Reasons

Meaning: Shows causation based on established facts or time

Usage Patterns:

  • Known facts: "Since you're the expert, please explain."
  • Time causation: "Since graduating, she's been successful."
  • Logical assumption: "Since it's raining, we'll stay inside."

Academic: "Since the data supports this hypothesis, we can conclude..."

Daily life: "Since you're going to the store, can you buy milk?"

Note: Often implies information already known to both speaker and listener

🔄 AS - Simultaneous or Obvious Causation

Meaning: Shows reason that occurs at the same time or is obvious

Usage Patterns:

  • Simultaneous: "As the sun set, it became cooler."
  • Obvious reason: "As it's your birthday, here's a gift."
  • Progressive causation: "As technology advances, jobs change."

Note: Less emphatic than "because," more formal than casual speech

📋 DUE TO / OWING TO - Formal Causation

Meaning: Shows formal, often official reasons

Grammar: Prepositional phrases, not full clauses

Usage Patterns:

  • Due to + noun phrase: "The delay was due to bad weather."
  • Owing to + noun phrase: "Owing to technical difficulties, the show is cancelled."
  • Due to the fact that: "Due to the fact that funding was cut, the project ended."

Business: "The meeting is postponed due to scheduling conflicts."

Academic: "The results varied owing to different methodologies."

Note: Very formal, common in business and academic writing

Group 2: Result Connectors (Showing Consequences)

➡️ THEREFORE - Logical Conclusion

Meaning: Shows a logical, inevitable result

Grammar: Adverbial connector between independent clauses

Punctuation: Semicolon before, comma after OR period before, comma after

  • "The evidence is clear; therefore, we must act."
  • "The evidence is clear. Therefore, we must act."
  • "We must, therefore, act on the evidence." (mid-sentence)

Academic: "The hypothesis was proven; therefore, the theory is valid."

Business: "Sales have dropped. Therefore, we need a new strategy."

Register: Formal to semi-formal

📈 CONSEQUENTLY - Expected Results

Meaning: Shows results that follow naturally from causes

Usage: Similar to "therefore" but emphasizes sequence

  • "The factory closed; consequently, unemployment rose."
  • "He practiced daily. Consequently, his skills improved."

Cause chain: "The storm damaged power lines. Consequently, the city experienced blackouts. As a result, businesses lost revenue."

Note: Often used in formal writing to show clear cause-effect chains

✨ THUS / HENCE - Formal Deduction

Thus: Shows logical deduction or conclusion

  • "All evidence points to this conclusion; thus, we can be confident."
  • "The formula works in all cases, thus proving the theorem."

Hence: Shows results that follow from premises

  • "The data is incomplete; hence, our analysis is limited."
  • "He was the only witness; hence, his testimony is crucial."

Register: Very formal, academic, or literary

🎯 SO - Informal Consequence

Meaning: Shows result in casual, everyday situations

Grammar: Coordinating conjunction between independent clauses

  • "I was hungry, so I ate dinner early."
  • "The store was closed, so we went to another one."
  • "It started raining, so the picnic was moved indoors."

Register: Informal to neutral, very common in speech

Note: Use comma before "so" when connecting independent clauses

Group 3: Phrasal Connectors (Formal Linking)

🔗 AS A RESULT / AS A CONSEQUENCE

Meaning: Formal way to introduce results

Structure: "As a result/consequence + of + noun phrase" OR "As a result/consequence, + clause"

  • "As a result of the merger, many jobs were lost."
  • "The company invested heavily in research. As a result, they developed innovative products."
  • "As a consequence of poor planning, the project failed."
💡 FOR THIS REASON / FOR THAT REASON

Usage: Refers back to previously mentioned causes

  • "Climate change poses serious threats. For this reason, immediate action is needed."
  • "The old system was inefficient. For that reason, we're implementing changes."
🎯 IN ORDER TO / SO THAT / SO AS TO

Purpose markers: Show intended results or goals

  • "She studied hard in order to pass the exam." (formal)
  • "We arrived early so that we could get good seats." (casual)
  • "He spoke quietly so as not to wake the baby." (negative purpose)

Punctuation and Position Rules

🔹 Subordinating Conjunctions (because, since, as):
  • Cause first: "Because it was late, we left." (comma after dependent clause)
  • Effect first: "We left because it was late." (no comma before dependent clause)
➡️ Adverbial Connectors (therefore, consequently, thus):
  • Between sentences: "The rain stopped. Therefore, we continued hiking."
  • With semicolon: "The rain stopped; therefore, we continued hiking."
  • Mid-sentence: "We, therefore, continued hiking." (commas around)
🔄 Coordinating Conjunctions (so):
  • Between clauses: "It was raining, so we stayed inside." (comma before)
  • Never start sentence: ❌ "So, we stayed inside." (informal speech only)

Register and Formality Levels

📝 Academic/Formal Writing:
  • therefore, consequently, thus, hence
  • due to, owing to, as a result of
  • for this reason, as a consequence
💬 Neutral/General Use:
  • because, since, as
  • so (with clauses)
  • as a result
🗣️ Informal/Spoken:
  • so, that's why
  • because of that
  • that's the reason

Common Mistakes and Corrections

✅ Correct Usage:
  • "Because of the rain, we cancelled the picnic." (preposition + noun)
  • "It was raining; therefore, we cancelled the picnic." (semicolon + connector)
  • "Since you're here, let's start the meeting." (known fact)
  • "The project failed due to poor planning." (formal, noun phrase)
❌ Common Errors:
  • "Because of it was raining..." (double conjunction)
  • "It was raining, therefore we cancelled..." (missing semicolon)
  • "Due to it was late..." (preposition + clause)
  • "So that's why because..." (double causation)

🧩 Task: Improve the Cause-Effect Relationships

Read this student essay about environmental issues and improve the use of discourse markers to create clearer cause-effect relationships.

📝 Student Essay:

Climate change is a serious problem. Temperatures are rising. Ice caps are melting. Sea levels are going up. Many cities will flood. People are using too much fossil fuel. Carbon emissions are increasing. The greenhouse effect is getting stronger. We need renewable energy. Solar and wind power are good alternatives. Many countries are not acting fast enough. The problem is getting worse. We must take action now. Future generations will suffer.

Governments should make new laws. Companies should reduce emissions. Individuals should change their behavior. Everyone should work together. We can solve this problem. We need international cooperation. Some countries are already taking steps. Other countries are resisting change. Economic interests are more important to them. They don't want to spend money on environmental protection.

1. ✏️ Rewrite the first paragraph using appropriate cause-effect discourse markers.

2. 🔗 Improve the second paragraph by adding discourse markers that show logical connections.

3. 📊 Identify which discourse markers would be most appropriate for formal academic writing.

4. 🎯 Create a cause-effect chain using at least 4 different discourse markers.

✅ Answer Key & Explanation

1. ✏️ First Paragraph with Cause-Effect Markers:

Sample Answer:

Climate change is a serious problem because temperatures are rising. As a result, ice caps are melting and consequently, sea levels are rising. Due to these changes, many coastal cities will flood. This environmental crisis is occurring because people are using too much fossil fuel, which causes carbon emissions to increase. Therefore, the greenhouse effect is getting stronger. For this reason, we urgently need renewable energy alternatives such as solar and wind power.

Key Improvements: Connected isolated facts into logical chains, showed progression from causes to effects

2. 🔗 Second Paragraph with Logical Connectors:

Sample Answer:

Since the problem is urgent, governments should make new laws and companies should reduce emissions. In addition, individuals should change their behavior. However, many countries are not acting fast enough, and consequently, the problem is getting worse. Therefore, everyone must work together through international cooperation. Although some countries are already taking steps, others are resisting change because economic interests are more important to them. As a result, they don't want to spend money on environmental protection. Nevertheless, we must take action now; otherwise, future generations will suffer.

Key Improvements: Added contrast, cause-effect, and conditional relationships

3. 📊 Formal Academic Discourse Markers:

Most Appropriate for Academic Writing:

  • therefore, consequently, thus, hence - formal result markers
  • due to, owing to, as a result of - formal causal phrases
  • for this reason, as a consequence - formal linking phrases
  • since, given that - formal reason introducers

Avoid in Academic Writing: "so" (too informal), starting sentences with "And" or "But"

4. 🎯 Cause-Effect Chain Example:

Sample Chain:

Industrial activities release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Consequently, global temperatures are rising at an unprecedented rate. As a result of this warming, polar ice sheets are melting rapidly. Therefore, sea levels are rising, which threatens coastal communities worldwide. For this reason, immediate action is required to reduce carbon emissions.

Chain Analysis: Initial cause → consequence → further result → final conclusion → call for action

🏆 Model Essay with Effective Discourse Markers

Improved Environmental Essay:

Climate change represents one of the most serious challenges facing humanity because global temperatures are rising at an alarming rate. As a result of this warming, polar ice caps are melting rapidly, and consequently, sea levels are rising worldwide. Due to these environmental changes, many coastal cities face the threat of flooding within the next few decades.

This environmental crisis is occurring primarily because human activities continue to release excessive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Since fossil fuels remain our primary energy source, carbon emissions continue to increase yearly. Therefore, the greenhouse effect is intensifying, which traps more heat in our atmosphere. For this reason, transitioning to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power has become essential.

Given that the problem requires urgent action, governments must implement stricter environmental legislation. Moreover, corporations should be required to reduce their carbon footprint significantly. However, individual behavioral changes are equally important since collective action creates substantial impact. Unfortunately, many nations are not responding quickly enough to this crisis, and consequently, environmental degradation continues to accelerate.

Although some countries have begun implementing green technologies, others resist change because they prioritize short-term economic interests over long-term environmental sustainability. As a consequence, these nations avoid investing in expensive environmental protection measures. Nevertheless, international cooperation remains crucial; otherwise, future generations will inherit a severely damaged planet. Therefore, we must act decisively now to ensure a sustainable future for all.

Discourse Marker Analysis:
🔹 Causal Relationships:
  • "because" - direct causation (temperatures rising, human activities)
  • "since" - established facts (fossil fuels, collective action)
  • "due to, as a result of" - formal cause markers
  • "given that" - logical premises
➡️ Result Indicators:
  • "consequently, as a consequence" - natural outcomes
  • "therefore" - logical conclusions
  • "for this reason" - referring back to causes
🔄 Additional Logical Connectors:
  • "however, although, nevertheless" - contrast and concession
  • "moreover" - addition
  • "unfortunately" - negative evaluation
  • "otherwise" - alternative consequences
Writing Techniques Demonstrated:

Paragraph Cohesion: Each paragraph flows logically from causes to effects

Formal Register: Uses academic-appropriate discourse markers

Varied Structures: Mixes different types of causal and result markers

Clear Argumentation: Builds from problem identification to solution proposals

Sophisticated Connections: Shows complex relationships between multiple causes and effects

Key Improvements Made:

Sentence Combining: Connected short, choppy sentences into flowing discourse

Logical Progression: Created clear cause-effect chains throughout

Formal Tone: Elevated the register appropriate for academic writing

Coherent Structure: Used discourse markers to guide readers through arguments

Persuasive Flow: Built compelling case through logical connections