Cause and Effect

Establishing a cause-and-effect structure is one surefire way to resolve disputes, answer questions, soothe doubts. Simply structure your piece by showing an action and then the resulting reaction. Whenever possible, be objective, relying on what your readers could or did see, feel, hear, or smell.Use with

Transitions include

Here’s a typical cause-and-effect letter telling a customer how a harmless, although upsetting, situation occurred:

Thank you for contacting us about your Toast Plus Kitchen Master. We have located the source of your problem. It seems as though a piece of plastic — probably from a plastic bag — got lodged in the heating coil. When you turned the machine on, the plastic started smoking and created an unpleasant odor. Please note: the machine could not have exploded or in any way jeopardized the health of you or your family.