Cause and Effect — Answer Key
Part A: Fix the Sentence
Each sentence has an error. Rewrite it correctly on the line.
1. Fix the sentence:
The boy put on sunglasses because the sky was dark and cloudy.
Corrected: The boy put on sunglasses because the sun was very bright.
Sunglasses protect your eyes from bright light, not from a dark, cloudy sky. The matching cause for putting them on is bright sunshine.
2. Fix the sentence:
The cookies burned so she set the oven to the right temperature.
Corrected: She set the oven too high so the cookies burned.
The cause must come before the effect with the word 'so'. Setting the oven too high is the reason, and burned cookies are what happened next.
3. Fix the sentence:
The boat sank therefore it had no holes in it.
Corrected: The boat sank because it had a hole in it.
A boat with no holes would stay afloat, so the original made no sense. Water leaking through a hole is what makes a boat sink.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The kite flew high because the wind was strong that afternoon.
The word 'because' introduces the cause, and strong wind is the reason a kite can fly high. Without enough wind, a kite would just fall.
2. She forgot her lunch money, so her friend shared with her.
The word 'so' shows the effect that follows a cause. Forgetting lunch money is the cause, and the friend sharing is the kind action that resulted.
3. Since the park was crowded, we played in the backyard instead.
'Since' begins a sentence with a cause and is capitalized at the start. The crowded park is the reason the children chose the backyard.
4. The turtle moved slowly. Therefore, it was the last to reach the pond.
'Therefore' connects two separate sentences and points to the result. Slow movement is the cause, and finishing last is the effect that follows.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. An effect is what happens as a result of a cause.
True False
An effect is the outcome that happens because of a cause. For example, a broken window (effect) happens because a ball was thrown (cause).
2. The word since can never be used as a cause-and-effect signal word.
True False
'Since' is actually a common cause signal word, like in 'Since it rained, the picnic was canceled.' It introduces the reason something happened.
3. In the sentence 'She smiled because she won the race,' winning the race is the cause.
True False
Whatever follows 'because' is the cause. Winning the race is the reason, and her smile is the effect that resulted.