Notes On Cause and Effect
Notes On Cause and Effect
Cause and Effect is an important topic under Logical Reasoning and questions on this topic are
often asked in many competitive exams.
In this section candidates are asked to determine whether a given event is the cause or the
effect of some other event.
Effects do not happen naturally, there is always a cause or reason behind an effect.
In the above statement “Increase in AC sale “is an effect and this effect took place because of
the cause that “It’s too hot in Summer and AC cools down the temperature”
Types of Causes:
Immediate Cause: An immediate cause means a cause that immediately precedes the effect.
It’s the most proximate one.
Example:
Effect: One of the workers got a head injury while working at a construction site
Principal Cause: There was lack of supervision (It’s the main cause)
Example: I) The Child was crying II) The child was hungry
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Study Notes (CAUSE & EFFECT)
In the above statement Child was hungry is the cause whereas child was crying is an
effect. He was crying because he was hungry.
Use connectors such as “Because”, “So” to build a relationship between the sentences
and find out which is the cause and which one is the effect.
Example: In the above statements discussed above we can say The child was crying
“Because” the child was hungry or the child was hungry “So” the child was crying. They make
sense
Let’s try saying The child was crying “So” the child was hungry. It doesn’t make sense
since no body cries without a cause. He must be hungry that is he would be crying.
In the above example, statement I is in past tense which makes it a “Cause” since cause
will never come after effect. Statement II is in present tense which makes it an “Effect”.
This rule may not always be applicable, there may be cases which negates this rule, you
shall have to apply your common sense in such scenarios.
Even if you are not able to make a relationship with the technicalities, you must use your
common sense to solve Logical reasoning problems.
Mark answer
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Study Notes (CAUSE & EFFECT)
(E) If both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.
Examples:
1) Statements:
(E) If both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.
Answer: A
Explanations: Government has banned plastic bags in the country “Because” Plastic is non-
biodegradable and thus causes pollution
2) Statements:
(E) If both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.
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Study Notes (CAUSE & EFFECT)
Answer: C
Explanations: we can see here there is no relationship between the two statements nor are
they effects of some cause. Both the statements are causes which will lead to effects.
Since “Yoga builds immunity” is the cause it may lead to an effect like more and more people
enrolling at Yoga centers.
Since “Fast food is in demand” it may lead to an effect like more fast food centers getting
opened near colleges
3) Statements:
I) Holiday homework has been banned for students in standard I & II.
(E) If both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.
Answer: D
Explanations:
Though both the statements are the effects of some cause but those causes are not common.
Each one of them have separate cause.
In statement I, Holiday homework being banned may be the effect of the cause that “Standard I
& II kids are too small and homework creates much pressure on them.
In statement II the effect “CNG Buses being banned” may be due to the cause that “CNG buses
are not safe for children” or may be due to some other reason.
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Study Notes (CAUSE & EFFECT)
4) Statements:
I) Many students in the city were late for CAT exam because of heavy rainfall.
(E) If both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause.
Answer: E
Explanations: Both are the effects, students getting late and delay in flights but their reason or
cause is same that is “Heavy rainfall”.