VII. CAUSE-EFFECT

1. Cause/Effect Relationship

Besides connecting two points of time or action, the Perfect Tense is also used to talk about a cause/effect relationship. Something that happened earlier has a later effect. There are three possible situations for a cause or causes that have a later effect:

1. The action started and ended in the past but has an effect on something in the present.
   Example: I have lost my wallet. I don't have money to pay the restaurant.
2. The initial action happened repeatedly in the past (prior to the time of reporting) and has an effect at a later time.
   Example: I have cut back on eating dessert, and I have lost weight.
3. The initial action happened repeatedly or incrementally (developed through time) at a prior time until the time of reporting. The effect is likely incremental, but it could happen as a result of the cumulative initial actions.
   Example: The population of Mexico City has increased greatly. It is difficult to find an available apartment.

Compare the Simple Past with the Perfect Tense

Comparing the Simple Tense with the Perfect Tense will help us understand the cause-and-effect in the perfect tense. When we use the Simple Past, there is no cause-and-effect relationship with a present. Below is a comparative example:

Exercises

1. I have broken my phone, and I missed an important call.
Trả lời:

2. Joji had been late so many times that his boss is considering dismissing him.
Trả lời:

3. Why has she not called yet? I am beginning to be worried.
Trả lời:

4. The world has emitted so much carbon that the climate is changing rapidly.
Trả lời:

5. Climate change is happening exponentially because snow cover has decreased by 30% in the North. Snow reflects heat and slows climate change.
Trả lời:

6. I had forgotten about my assignment that was due, so it was late. The instructor reduced my grade by 15%.
Trả lời:

7. Every month, I have put $100 in my savings account. By the end of the year, I had enough money to buy a new cell phone.
Trả lời:

Exercise 2: Match the possible effects of the initial action in the Perfect Tense.

Match the causes with the effects. Nhập câu trả lời vào ô trống (ví dụ: 1-b, 2-a, ...).

Cause

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 8. Yasmin has not eaten breakfast. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 9. An increase in administrative costs has impacted the net profit of many companies. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 10. Conflict at work has had negative effects on everyone. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 11. Stock prices for technology have increased over the last five years. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 12. Her friends have planned a birthday party for her. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 13. Inflation has risen by 15%. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)
(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling. 14. Chiara is going to work but has forgotten her wallet. → Effect:

Effect (danh sách để tham khảo)

(a) Revenue was up by 23% this year, defying expectations.
(b) She is very hungry.
(c) They are busy getting everything ready.
(d) People are having trouble affording food.
(e) She doesn't have money for the bus fare.
(f) Sick leave has increased by 10%.
(g) Many companies are struggling.

Exercise 3: After you have matched the causes and effects above, make sentences by combining the clauses for both cause and effect.

Use connecting words to create subordinating clauses of cause and effect. Be careful to use the correct conjunction, which can either be a conjunction for 'cause' and a conjunction for 'effect'. They can be either coordinating conjunctions or subordinating conjunctions. You could also leave them as independent clauses using adverbs, transitions or conjunctive adverbs (examples: so, therefore, as a result, however, although). Nhập câu trả lời vào ô trống.

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