Speaking in Academic Contexts
Rhetorical Functions in Academic Speaking: Cause and effect
Take the following sentence:
The death rate from cancer is increasing.
We might want to ask why this is happening. We want the cause of this. The reason, or the cause, is that:
People are smoking more.
The death rate from cancer is increasing is the effect.
People are smoking more is the cause.
Example
Read the following text and observe the cause and effect relationships.
There are several factors that we have to take into account when we study why some plants become weak or die. One reason is lack of water. If the soil is dry, it causes the leaves to wilt, and this may cause the plant to die. On the other hand, too much water may result in the leaves drooping, or becoming yellow. While plants need sunshine, if it is too strong, the soil may be baked and the roots killed. However, if there is no light, the leaves will become pale and the stems thin. Then the plant may die. |
- Lack of water dryness in the soil
leaves to wilt
death of plant.
- Too much water
leaves droop or become yellow
plant dies.
- Too strong sun
baked soil
roots killed.
- Lack of light
pale leaves & thin stems
plant dies.
Exercise
Try this exercise: Exercise 1
Language
This relationship can be expressed in many ways:
1. Simply
Emphasising cause.
The death rate from cancer is increasing |
because |
people are smoking more. |
Emphasising effect.
As |
people are smoking more, |
the death rate from cancer is increasing. |
People are smoking more. |
Therefore, |
the death rate from cancer is increasing. |
People are smoking more, |
as a result of which |
2. With some grammatical changes.
Emphasing cause.
The fact that |
the death rate from cancer is increasing |
is due to |
people smoking more. |
The |
reason for |
the death rate from cancer increasing |
is that |
people are smoking more. |
An increase in the death rate from cancer |
is |
one effect of |
people smoking more. |
results from |
Emphasing effect.
Owing to |
people smoking more, |
the death rate from cancer is increasing. |
One |
effect of |
people smoking more |
is that |
the death rate from cancer is increasing. |
is to |
increase the death rate from cancer. |
People smoking more |
results in |
an increase in the death rate from cancer. |
People smoke more, |
(so) |
resulting in |
an increase in the death rate from cancer. |
If |
people smoke more |
the death rate from cancer will increase. |
Exercise
Try this exercise: Exercise 2