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 fish jumped out of the bowl so the lid was on tight.
Corrected: The fish jumped out of the bowl because the lid was not on tight.
A tight lid would actually keep the fish inside, so it could not be the cause of the fish escaping. The loose lid is what allowed the fish to jump out.
2. Fix the sentence:
He slipped on the ice because he wore boots with good grip.
Corrected: He slipped on the ice because he wore shoes with no grip.
Boots with good grip would have prevented slipping, so they cannot be the cause. Smooth shoes with no grip slide on ice, which is why he fell.
3. Fix the sentence:
The crowd cheered so the team scored the winning goal.
Corrected: The team scored the winning goal so the crowd cheered.
Cheering does not make a goal happen, but a winning goal does cause cheering. The order had to be flipped so the cause comes before the effect.
Part B: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. The bird built a nest because it was time to lay its eggs.
'Because' introduces the reason for an action. Birds need a safe nest to hold their eggs, so laying eggs is the cause and nest-building is the effect.
2. The milk spilled on the floor, so Mom grabbed a towel to clean it up.
The word 'so' shows what happened as a result. The spilled milk caused Mom's quick action of grabbing a towel.
3. Since the movie was sold out, we watched a different one.
'Since' starts the sentence by giving the reason. A sold-out movie means no tickets were left, so the family had to choose another film.
4. He left his toy outside in the rain. Therefore, the toy got rusty.
'Therefore' begins the second sentence to show the result of the first. Water on metal causes rust, so leaving the toy in the rain led directly to the rust.
Part C: True or False?
Read each statement. Circle True or False.
1. A single cause can lead to more than one effect.
True False
One cause often produces several effects. For example, a snowstorm can cause schools to close, roads to ice over, and power to go out all at once.
2. The word but is a common cause-and-effect signal word.
True False
The word 'but' shows a contrast between two ideas, not a cause-and-effect link. Real signal words include because, so, since, and therefore.
3. In the sentence 'He was late because he missed the bus,' missing the bus is the cause.
True False
The cause always follows the word 'because'. Missing the bus is the reason, and being late is the effect that resulted from it.