Cause and Effect

Explaining and exploring - lateral

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Cause and effect         2

Cause and effect

The table below simply represents the variety of meanings, uses and nuances that can be derived from the word most strongly associated with the notion of cause and effect, the word because … . This is not intended as a reference list, though you may use it as such if you are looking for alternative vocabulary. In a more general sense, you are invited to think about all these words, and the subtlety of their meanings in relation to each other. You will find, for instance, that cause actually means contributor, and effect actually means outcome. Each tells the same story from a different angle or perspective. Knowing your perspective will always help you to achieve precision in writing. More than this is the ability to explain not just what something is, but, at a lateral level, how something happens, which is a fundamental skill in all research.

Words in the table below were derived from the entries for ‘because’ and related words in a number of dictionaries and thesauruses. The sheer number of related words should encourage you to write with ever increasing variety and range. Try building up a similar table using any other word, especially one that you use very frequently. The exercise of looking through a few dictionaries will certainly benefit your repertoire of vocabulary and should give you more choices for more subtle nuances in your writing.

Because ...

nuance	noun	adjective	verb	adverb		context phrase
cause contributor to the result eg because of gravity, apples fall to the ground	cause causality origin source principle influence key derivation intention production contribution responsibility precipitation input	causative reliable original influential derivative derived intentional intended contributive	cause be the cause of shape give rise to initiate generate affect bring about trigger originate make make happen influence lead to intend produce create contribute induce deduce promote engender be responsible for determine precipitate	causatively originally derivatively contributively intentionally determinedly subsequently		because due to as a result of owing to since therefore when ... .then if ... then since ... then
effect result of prior act or condition eg because the train was late, I missed my appointment	effect consequence derivative result outcome development product output repercussion ramificaton implication	dependent on reliant on	result from arise from grow from stem from be shaped by culminate in proceed emanate from follow from depend on	naturally consequently necessarily eventually reliably conditionally		because owing to resulting from due to caused by depending on of course it follows that therefore as since
attribution ascribing cause eg because of the accident, she never drove again	attribution attribute ascription reference to explanation interpretation reason why	attributed to attributable to explained by	account for attribute ascribe impute refer derive from assign as cause indicates shows points towards be associated with correspond to correlate with	accountably unaccountably imputedly derivatively		because according to hence thence therefore on account of due to in view of owing to as a result of as a consequence of with reference to in respect of in light of from this point
response reaction to stimulus eg because you said that, I’ll begin to think differently	response impact, reply defence explanation contradiction acknowledgement discovery solution, clue inquiry, query satisfaction support evidence resolution reaction	conclusive inconclusive defended contradictory satisfactory interpretive apparent empirical	answer respond reply acknowledge explain interpret solve discover inquire query satisfy allow	conclusively satisfactorily evidently interpretively apparently empirically	because in response to as a result in conclusion in reply in defence in acknowledgement of in light of considering while acknowledging that

nuance	noun	adjective	verb	adverb	context phrase
reasoning inductive or deductive calculation eg because it was a hot day, we took our bathers	reason explanation argument generalisation rationale induction deduction discussion inquiry debate analysis synthesis	valid rational reasonable reasoned cogent logical forceful relevant appropriate correct persuasive conclusive dialectic polemical debatable controvertible	infer reason validate argue consider discuss debate dispute refute examine wrangle follow from contend insist	rationally validly reasonably arguably forcefully appropriately correctly conclusively consequently accordingly	because since as for hence whence thence seeing that then so so that for this reason for that reason for which reason inasmuch as whereas considering in consideration of therefore wherefore thus in conclusion finally after all in the end on the whole
motive reason for generating an effect eg because she was interested, she took up astronomy	reason ground(s) stimulus intention motivation inducement influence inspiration encouragement incentive concession purpose	reasoned intentional motivated persuasive enforceable inclined biased	stimulate induce prompt instigate provoke encourage attract activate actuate act on work on operate on determine bias incline dispose predispose persuade enforce concede	with reason intentionally determinedly	because therefore as for this reason by reason of on account of due to owing to
intention direction towards an outcome eg because I have a goal, I will make it happen	determination aim goal pathway aspiration	intentional determined decisive incisive deliberate conscious	be determined aspire intend ensure aim (for) set up work towards aim towards effect envisage	determinedly decisively intentionally deliberately consciously	because of in order to to with the intention of so that so