Editing and Publishing Cause-Effect Essays

By Anonymous (not verified), 12 March, 2026
Grade Level
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.7.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.2
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.5
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.8.6
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.1
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.8.2
Mode
Explanatory Writing
Form
Cause-Effect
Unit Lesson Body

Editing Cause-Effect Essays

Revising makes big improvements to your writing while editing focuses on little (but important) corrections. You'll look for problems with sentences, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, usage, and spelling. The following activities will help you edit your cause-effect essay.

Editing for Commas with Intro Words

When a sentence starts with four or more introductory words, insert a comma after them, before the main part of the sentence.

Responding to a national initiative, our school changed its lunch program.

Even though Sam prefers white bread, he is giving wheat bread a chance.

Insert commas after introductory words.

Insert a comma after four or more introductory words.

Commas
  • Commas
  • Commas

Editing for the Right Word

“Affect” and “effect” sound the same but have different meanings and spellings.

  • Affect is a verb that means “influence.”
  • Effect is most often used as a noun to mean “result.” Effect can also be used as a verb to mean “bring about” or “accomplish.”

Weather affects (“influences”) clothing choices.

Weather has a strange effect (“result”) on my mood.

Sunny weather has positive effects (“results”).

Jill hopes to effect (“bring about”) change with her persuasive speech.

Choose the right word.

Circle or highlight the correct word in parentheses.

  1. Momentum ( affects / effects ) how easily you can pedal a bicycle. Momentum ( affects / effects ) how easily you can pedal a bicycle.
  2. Texting while driving causes harmful ( effects / affects ) on driver safety. Texting while driving causes harmful ( effects / affects ) on driver safety.
  3. Melting polar glaciers is an (affect / effect ) of global warming. Melting polar glaciers is an (affect / effect ) of global warming.
  4. Your actions ( affect / effect ) the way people think about of you. Your actions ( affect / effect ) the way people think about of you.
  5. Marty’s perfect test score ( affected / effected ) his semester grade. Marty’s perfect test score ( affected / effected ) his semester grade.
  6. Marty’s test score had a positive ( affect / effect ) on his semester grade. Marty’s test score had a positive ( affect / effect ) on his semester grade.
  7. One ( affect / effect ) of skateboarding is improved balance. One ( affect / effect ) of skateboarding is improved balance.
  8. The speech (affected / effected ) the outcome of the election. The speech ( affected / effected ) the outcome of the election.
  9. The candidate hoped to ( affect / effect ) a change. The candidate hoped to ( affect / effect ) a change.
  10. How did the special ( affects / effects ) ( affect / effect ) the movie-viewing experience? How did the special ( affects / effects ) ( affect / effect ) the movie-viewing experience?

Editing in Action

When you edit, you check to make sure your essay is correct.

  • Before Edits

    Editing

  • Usage and commas are corrected.

    Editing

  • After Edits

    Editing

Edit with a checklist.

Read each line. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off.

Punctuation

  • Did I close each sentence with an end punctuation mark?
  • Do commas follow four or more introductory words?

Capitalization

  • Did I start all sentences with capital letters?
  • Did I capitalize the names of people and places?

Grammar

  • Did I use the correct form of verbs (give, gave, given)?
  • Do the subjects and verbs agree in number? (Birds sing; David whistles.)

Usage

  • Did I use an appropriate level of language?
  • Did I correctly use commonly confused words (affect/effect)?

Spelling

  • Did I check for spelling errors?
  • Did I use a dictionary or the spell checker on my computer?

Publishing Cause-Effect Essays

When you publish your writing, you make it public. First, you need to make a clean final copy of your work. Then you should find ways to share what you have written with classmates, your teacher, your family, and your friends.

Publishing a Final Copy

Create a final copy of your cause-effect essay.

Include your editing changes and read over your work a final time. (If you are working on a computer, spell check your work.)

Reflecting on Your Writing

Reflect on your writing.

Complete the following form to think about what you learned.

Reflection Sheet
Lesson Downloads (Word)
WritingCauseEffectEssays_EditingforCommaswithIntroWords.docx (16.57 KB)
WritingCauseEffectEssays_EditingforCommaswithIntroWords.docx (16.57 KB)
WritingCauseEffectEssays_EditingforCommaswithIntroWords.docx (16.57 KB)
WritingCauseEffectEssays_EditingforCommaswithIntroWords.docx (16.57 KB)
Lesson Plan Google Links
Editing for Commas with Introductory Words
Editing for the Right Word
Editing with a Checklist
Reflecting on Your Writing
Templates
Template Name
Editing for Commas with Introductory Words
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Insert commas after introductory words.

Insert a comma after four or more introductory words.

  1. After her softball practice ended Brianna rode her bike home.
  2. When Brianna arrived home from practice she ate dinner with her mom.
  3. Though she had a tough practice she was in a great mood.
  4. Determined to hang out with her best friend on Sunday Brianna finished her weekend homework Friday night.
  5. Because she finished her homework early Brianna was able go horseback riding with Kelly.
  6. Mane whipping in the wind Kelly’s horse galloped along the trail.
  7. At a bend in the path the girls spotted a flock of wild turkeys.
  8. When Kelly and Brianna rode past the turkeys flapped away to one side.
  9. Although the girls had seen wild turkeys before they didn’t realize that the birds could fly.
  10. After an hour on the trail Brianna and Kelly put the horses in their stalls.
  11. When they finished removing the saddles and blankets the girls brushed the horses.
  12. After giving the horses their meals the girls returned home.
  13. Away from the pasture they could smell dinner on the grill.
  14. When Kelly’s dad saw them he asked how their rides had been.
  15. Although Brianna was sad that the rides were over now her stomach was rumbling.

Template Name
Editing for the Right Word
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Choose the right word.

Circle the correct word in parentheses.

  1. Momentum ( affects / effects ) how easily you can pedal a bicycle.
  2. Texting while driving causes harmful ( effects / affects ) on driver safety.
  3. Melting polar glaciers is an (affect / effect ) of global warming.
  4. Your actions ( affect / effect ) the way people think about of you.
  5. Marty’s perfect test score ( affected / effected ) his semester grade.
  6. Marty’s test score had a positive ( affect / effect ) on his semester grade.
  7. One ( affect / effect ) of skateboarding is improved balance.
  8. The speech (affected / effected ) the outcome of the election.
  9. The candidate hoped to ( affect / effect ) a change.
  10. How did the special ( affects / effects ) ( affect / effect ) the movie-viewing experience?

Template Name
Editing with a Checklist
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Edit with a checklist.

Read each line. When you can answer each question with a yes, check it off.

Punctuation

Did I close each sentence with an end punctuation mark?

Do commas follow four or more introductory words?

Capitalization

Did I start all sentences with capital letters?

Did I capitalize the names of people and places?

Grammar

Did I use the correct form of verbs (give, gave, given)?

Do the subjects and verbs agree in number? (Birds sing; David whistles.)

Usage

Did I use an appropriate level of language?

Did I correctly use commonly confused words (affect/effect)?

Spelling

Did I check for spelling errors?

Did I use a dictionary or the spell checker on my computer?

Template Name
Reflecting on Your Writing
Template Content

Student:

Date:

Reflect on your writing.

Complete the following form to think about what you learned.

Reflection Sheet

Writer's name:

Title:

1. What I like most about my cause-effect essay is . . .

2. One thing I could still improve in my essay is . . .

3. The most important thing I learned about cause-effect writing is . . .

4. One question I have about cause-effect writing is . . .

5. The next time I write a cause-effect essay, I will . . .

Unit Container Label
Writing Cause-Effect Essays
Unit Container D7 ID
Writing Cause-Effect Essays
Lesson Weight
6