Glossary

cause and effect

Subject: 

  • English First Additional Language
  • English Home Language

the reason something happens (cause), and the result of it happening (effect),e.g. in the sentence The wind made the door slam, the wind is the cause and the door slamming is the effect. In Her marks have dropped since she broke up with her boyfriend, the breakup with her boyfriend is the cause, and the effect is that her marks have dropped. Cause comes before effect.