Cause/Effect Signal Words

1. CAUSE & EFFECT
Signal Words and Phrases

2. WHY STUDY CAUSE/EFFECT?

3. WHY STUDY CAUSE/EFFECT?
•Certain words and phrases signal CAUSE/EFFECT
relationships.

4. WHY STUDY CAUSE/EFFECT?
•Certain words and phrases signal CAUSE/EFFECT
relationships.
•When reading a selection, understanding the
relationship between MAIN EVENTS can help you
comprehend the selection better.

5. WHY STUDY CAUSE/EFFECT?
•Certain words and phrases signal CAUSE/EFFECT
relationships.
•When reading a selection, understanding the
relationship between MAIN EVENTS can help you
comprehend the selection better.
•If you understand how to use signal words/phrases, your
summary of the selection helps others understand
what’s going on in the selection.

6. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS

7. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Coordinators - For

8. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Coordinators - For
•The buffalo were important to the Plains Indians, for this one animal
provided them with everything they needed.

9. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Coordinators - For
•The buffalo were important to the Plains Indians, for this one animal
provided them with everything they needed.
•Subordinators - because, since, as

10. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Coordinators - For
•The buffalo were important to the Plains Indians, for this one animal
provided them with everything they needed.
•Subordinators - because, since, as
•The buffalo were important since they provided everything the
Plains Indians needed.

11. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS

12. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS

13. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS•Others - resulted from/was the result of, due to/because of, effect of

14. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS•Others - resulted from/was the result of, due to/because of, effect of
•The buffalo’s disappearance resulted from overhunting.

15. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS•Others - resulted from/was the result of, due to/because of, effect of
•The buffalo’s disappearance resulted from overhunting.
•Buffalo nearly disappeared due to overhunting.

16. CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS•Others - resulted from/was the result of, due to/because of, effect of
•The buffalo’s disappearance resulted from overhunting.
•Buffalo nearly disappeared due to overhunting.
•One effect of overhunting was the disappearance of nearly all the
buffalo.

17. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS

18. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Transitions Words & Phrases - therefore, thus, consequently

19. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Transitions Words & Phrases - therefore, thus, consequently
•Workers building the railroads needed meat; therefore, hunters
killed buffalo by the thousands.

20. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Transitions Words & Phrases - therefore, thus, consequently
•Workers building the railroads needed meat; therefore, hunters
killed buffalo by the thousands.
•The US Army needed meat; consequently, hunters killed buffalo
by the thousands.

21. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Transitions Words & Phrases - therefore, thus, consequently
•Workers building the railroads needed meat; therefore, hunters
killed buffalo by the thousands.
•The US Army needed meat; consequently, hunters killed buffalo
by the thousands.
•Coordinators - so

22. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Transitions Words & Phrases - therefore, thus, consequently
•Workers building the railroads needed meat; therefore, hunters
killed buffalo by the thousands.
•The US Army needed meat; consequently, hunters killed buffalo
by the thousands.
•Coordinators - so
•Plains Indians traded with settlers for goods, so they began killing
buffalo in larger numbers.

23. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS

24. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Others - result in, caused, have an effect, the cause/reason for

25. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Others - result in, caused, have an effect, the cause/reason for
•Overhunting resulted in the near extinction of buffalo.

26. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Others - result in, caused, have an effect, the cause/reason for
•Overhunting resulted in the near extinction of buffalo.
•Low numbers of buffalo had an effect on the lives of the Plains
Indians.

27. EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Others - result in, caused, have an effect, the cause/reason for
•Overhunting resulted in the near extinction of buffalo.
•Low numbers of buffalo had an effect on the lives of the Plains
Indians.
•The rescue of buffalo from extinction is a cause of celebration.

28. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS

29. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.

30. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.

31. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.Cause

32. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.Cause Effect

33. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Arliss’s hand was wrapped in a poultice, for holding onto a fish with
bare hands causes a fish to cut flesh with it’s fins.
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.Cause Effect

34. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Arliss’s hand was wrapped in a poultice, for holding onto a fish with
bare hands causes a fish to cut flesh with it’s fins.
•Mother wrapped his hand in a poultice because Arliss got finned
by a fish.
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.Cause Effect

35. PRACTICE CAUSE SIGNAL WORDS
•Arliss’s hand was wrapped in a poultice, for holding onto a fish with
bare hands causes a fish to cut flesh with it’s fins.
•Mother wrapped his hand in a poultice because Arliss got finned
by a fish.
•Arliss’s bloody hands were due to holding on to a fish.
FYI/ME - Arliss holds on to a
fish and does not let go.
Hands bloodied.
FYI/ME - Mother wraps his
hands in poultice of prickly
pear root.Cause Effect

36. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS

37. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.

38. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.

39. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.
Cause

40. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.
Cause Effect

41. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Uncle called Wong Ming-Chung useless; consequently, his feelings
were hurt and Wong Ming-Chung returned to the Fox.
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.
Cause Effect

42. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Uncle called Wong Ming-Chung useless; consequently, his feelings
were hurt and Wong Ming-Chung returned to the Fox.
•Uncle said some hurtful thing so Wong Ming-Chung cried and went
back to the Fox. EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.
Cause Effect

43. PRACTICE EFFECT SIGNAL WORDS
•Uncle called Wong Ming-Chung useless; consequently, his feelings
were hurt and Wong Ming-Chung returned to the Fox.
•Uncle said some hurtful thing so Wong Ming-Chung cried and went
back to the Fox.
•The cause of Wong-Ming-Chung returning to the Fox was Uncle’s
hurtful words.
EM/ME - WMC cried and
returned to the Fox.
ME - Uncle called WMC
useless.
Cause Effect