Writing a Cause-Effect Essay
You've selected a topic, done your research, and formed a focus. Now it's time to write your first draft. Relax. You have all the material you need. Now you just need to put it down in a first form. Your draft doesn't have to be perfect: That's what revising and editing are for.
Writing the Beginning Paragraph
Your beginning paragraph starts with a lead that gets your reader's attention, includes detail sentences that explain the cause-effect relationship, and ends with a focus statement that tells readers just what your essay will be about.
Write a lead.
Read each lead-writing strategy and example, and write your own leads related to your topic.
- Ask a question.
What did you eat for lunch today?
- Relate the topic to your own experience.
Last year, school lunches changed in a big way.
- Start with a thought-provoking fact or statement.
School districts are taking a closer look at school lunches.
Write your beginning paragraph.
Write your best lead sentence, add detail sentences, and provide your focus statement.
Lead Sentence
Detail Sentences
Focus Statement
Writing the Middle Paragraphs
Write topic sentences.
Write a topic sentence for each middle paragraph. Follow the directions for the type of essay you are writing—effect-focused or cause-focused.
| Effect-focused: Write a topic sentence about the main cause or causes. | OR | Cause-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific cause. |
Our school wanted to promote healthy lifestyles, so last year we began the Healthy Hunger-Free program.
| Effect-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific effect. | OR | Cause-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific cause. |
One big change is the type of food served at lunch.
| Effect-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific effect. | OR | Cause-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific cause. |
These changes have made our school lunches taste much different.
| Effect-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific effect. | OR | Cause-focused: Write a topic sentence about a specific effect. |
The last effect of the new lunch program is portion sizes.
Write your middle paragraphs.
Write your topic sentences. Add detail sentences to support them. Use cause-effect transitions to connect your ideas.
Cause-Effect Transitions
because of
due to
since
for this reason
as a result
therefore
consequently
in addition
another
afterward
then
from that
Middle Paragraph 1
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Middle Paragraph 2
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Middle Paragraph 3
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Middle Paragraph 4
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Middle Paragraph 5
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Writing the Ending Paragraph
Write your ending paragraph.
Try these ending strategies. Then combine some into an ending paragraph.
- Share an interesting fact about your focus.
The new lunch menu has students talking.
- Show how the topic relates to your audience.
Initially, we were not happy with all the changes, but our attitude is starting to soften.
- Give a final thought.
Overall, the new school lunch program has made my classmates and me more aware of what we eat.
Topic Sentence
Detail Sentences
Reading a Cause-Effect Essay Draft
Read a draft essay.
Note how the writer put the parts together.
Effects of the New Lunch Program
LeadLast year, school lunches changed in a big way. It started when our school got on board with the Healthy Hunger-Free Act. Beginning ParagraphThis government program is a national initiative to help kids get healthy. Focus StatementEver since our school started the program, our lunches have changed in type, taste, and size.
Topic SentencesOur school began the Healthy Hunger-Free program last year to promote health. Kids need food to learn, but the food served at schools hasn’t always been nutritional. Statistics show that kids have been gaining too much weight and not doing enough activity. Middle ParagraphsThe U.S. government passed the Healthy Hunger-Free Act to reverse these trends. When we joined the program, school lunches started to look and taste a lot different.
Transitions and Key WordsOne major effect is the type of food served at lunch. We receive more fruits and vegetables than ever before. And a lot of the produce is fresh, as opposed to out of a can. Most meals come with carrots and celery grown at local farms. We are served more wholegrain food, too. Instead of white bread, we get wheat bread. Finally, meat is more often grilled instead of fried, and there’s rarely sauce or breading on it.
These changes have made our school lunches taste much different. There’s not as much sugar, salt, or sauce, so sometimes the food doesn’t have much flavor. The cafeteria cooks are starting to experiment with spices to add flavor. The fresh fruits and veggies taste great, but I do miss the tasty white bread.
The last effect of the new lunch program is portion sizes. Even though there is more variety of food with each meal, portion sizes are definitely smaller than before. Servings of starches, such as French fries, tater tots, and rice, stand out. Most times we’ll get one scoop of these instead of two like we used to. A nutritionist who spoke to our class said the sizes are based on the recommendations of nutrition experts.
Ending ParagraphThe new lunch menu has students talking. Initially, we were not happy with all the changes, but our attitude is starting to soften. Having chefs and nutritionists speak to our classes has helped us better understand food. A field trip to a local farm was cool, because we got to experience how our food is grown. Overall, the new school lunch program has made my classmates and me more aware of what we eat.
Teaching Tip
Students will recognize many parts of this essay, such as the lead, focus statement, and topic sentences. Help them see the choices the writer has made in drafting.