Cause and Effect

Effects Causes Why? Reasons Event What happened after the event?

Tip #1 Look for words that connect the details. led to because of for this reason due to as a result of therefore in order to in response to so that since resulted in if…then… so was responsible for

Tip #2 Try to use the word because to connect events. Sometimes the connecting word is understood rather than directly stated. Try to add because to the events to determine a cause and an effect.

Ralph stared at his math test. Had he ever seen problems like these before? Did he even have the paper right-side up? He thought about the movie hed watched the night before, with his math book in his lap. Hed enjoyed that movie a lot, but watching it didnt seem like such a great idea at the moment. He felt like he was going to throw up. Why did Ralph feel sick?

Ralph felt sick because he didnt study for his test.

Tip #3 Make predictions based on what youve learned about characters and events from the selection. You may be asked to make predictions about which event is most likely to happen next or what a character in a story will most likely do next. What have you already learned about the characters and events?

How often does a person get a second chance in life? Ralph thought. That morning, Mr. Frieze, his math teacher, had watched him turn green – or something close to it – at his desk. Are you feeling okay? Mr. Frieze asked. You look awful! Before Ralph knew it, he was at the nurses office, feeling more guilty than sick, waiting for a ride home. After dinner that night, Ralph found himself in the same place hed been the night before: facing the prospect of studying for a test. He turned off the TV, set his math book on the table, and sharpened a few pencils. He was on problem eight when his friend Matt called to see if he wanted to come over and play games on his new Wii.

If you were asked what event is most likely to happen next, what would you say?

Even though it is not directly stated, you would probably guess that Ralph has learned his lesson and will choose to study for the math test this time.

Look for words that connect the details.

Try to use the word because to connect events.

Make predictions based on what youve learned about characters and events from the selection. (future)