Expository: Cause and Effect Connectors

Writing Practice

Complete your revision by reading this together with our 2022 Issue 4/5 print issue or as a standalone guide.

LANGUAGE FOR PERSUASION: CAUSE AND EFFECT CONNECTORS

Simple connector words have a big impact on how persuasive your writing is. These words help your reader understand how your points are connecting to form cohesive ideas. There are many different categories of connector words, one of them being those that relate cause and effect.

Without Connectors
Your argument seems disjointed as your writing does not help your reader understand the relationship between the different points you raise.
With Connectors
Your writing clearly shows how the different points you raise are related to form a coherent argument.

Cause and effect connectors show clearly that one point has directly led to the second point.

Examples of cause and effect connectors: consequently, as a result, correspondingly, thus, therefore, hence

Example:

Point – Relying more heavily on vending machines could be the solution for a community with not enough manpower.

Without the Framework
Japan has a high life expectancy and low birth rates. The country has an ageing population. They have low levels of immigrant workers. They have a shrinking pool of workers that support their country’s development and needs.
With the Framework
Japan has a high life expectancy and low birth rates. Consequently, the country has an ageing population. At the same time, they have low levels of immigrant workers. These two factors contribute to Japan’s shrinking pool of workers that support their country’s needs.

Apart from cause and effect connectors, what other types of connectors can you spot in the example above?