Cause and Effect Questions with Solutions

Cause and effect is a logical deduction question type. You are given two statements, I and II, that describe events. One of them may be the cause of the other, or both may be effects of a common cause, or they may have no connection at all. You must decide how the two statements are related. The usual options are that I is the cause and II is its effect, II is the cause and I is its effect, both are effects of independent causes, both are effects of the same cause, or neither is a cause or an effect of the other. A cause is an event that happens first and makes the other event happen. An effect is the result. Ask yourself two questions: could statement I lead to statement II, and could II lead to I? The cause usually comes earlier in time, while the effect follows it. Words in the statements can help, such as "because", "as a result" and "due to". If both statements describe results of a third event that is not stated, such as a flood causing both school closures and a rise in vegetable prices, they are effects of the same cause. If the two events are simply unrelated, choose the option that says neither is a cause or an effect. Don't use outside assumptions to build a link that the statements do not support. Practise the cause and effect questions below. Each solution explains which statement is the cause and why.