Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
When we speak or write in English, we often need to explain why something happened or what resulted from a particular action. This is especially important at B2 and C1 levels, where learners are expected to express ideas more clearly, logically, and formally—whether they are writing essays, giving presentations, or engaging in debates. One of the powerful means of improving clarity and fluency is through the employment of prepositional phrases for cause and effect. They help you to show cause-and-effect relationships between events, to justify decisions, and to make your writing cohesive.
Cause-related prepositional phrases
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Because of | due to the reason of | The match was cancelled because of the rain. |
| Due to | caused by | The delay was due to heavy traffic. |
| Owing to | because of | Owing to budget cuts, the library closed early. |
| As a result of | because of the effect of something | He failed the course as a result of his poor attendance. |
| On account of | for the reason of | She stayed home on account of her illness. |
| Thanks to | because of something positive | Thanks to your help, we finished on time. |
| In view of | considering; taking into account | In view of the recent events, the meeting was postponed. |
| In light of | because of (new evidence or knowledge) | In light of the new evidence, the decision was revised. |
| As a consequence of | as the result of something | The road was closed as a consequence of the accident. |
| By virtue of | because of (often used formally) | He got the position by virtue of his experience. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Effect-related prepositional phrases
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| In consequence of | as a result of (formal) | In consequence of his actions, he was suspended. |
| With the result that | causing the consequence that | The project was rushed, with the result that several errors occurred. |
| To the detriment of | causing harm to | He focused on his career to the detriment of his health. |
| To the benefit of | helping or improving | The new policy worked to the benefit of all employees. |
| To the extent that | so much that | He exaggerated the story to the extent that no one believed him. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Cause and effect connection phrases
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| For the sake of | for the purpose/benefit of | Let’s keep the noise down for the sake of the neighbours. |
| In order to | with the purpose of | She studied every night in order to pass the exam. |
| With a view to | intending to | He moved to London with a view to finding a better job. |
| For fear of | to avoid the risk of something | He avoided confrontation for fear of losing his job. |
| In the hope of | hoping to achieve something | They launched the campaign in the hope of raising awareness. |
| At the expense of | causing harm to something else | He built his career at the expense of his family life. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Result or outcome phrases
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| To the result that | with the consequence that | The system crashed, to the result that all data was lost. |
| To such an extent that | so much that something happens | She was stressed to such an extent that she couldn’t sleep. |
| For this reason | therefore | He missed the deadline. For this reason, the client was unhappy. |
| As far as … is concerned | regarding the effect on | As far as health is concerned, exercise is essential. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Negative cause or risk phrases
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| At risk of | in danger of | The animals are at risk of extinction because of deforestation. |
| In danger of | likely to experience harm | The island is in danger of flooding. |
| On the verge of | about to experience (negative or dramatic result) | The country is on the verge of economic collapse. |
| On the brink of | very close to a bad consequence | They were on the brink of divorce. |
| In response to | as a reaction to | The policy was changed in response to public criticism. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Mixed (formal/academic style)
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| With regard to | concerning | With regard to your complaint, we are investigating the issue. |
| In reaction to | responding to something | The stock market dropped in reaction to the announcement. |
| In relation to | concerning the effect or connection | The question was asked in relation to the budget cuts. |
| In proportion to | according to the amount or level | The punishment should be in proportion to the offence. |
| In accordance with | in agreement with a rule/condition | Decisions were made in accordance with company policy. |
Prepositional Phrases for Cause and Effect
Advanced or idiomatic style
| Prepositional phrase | Meaning | Example sentence |
| On the grounds of | for the reason of (formal) | He was dismissed on the grounds of misconduct. |
| In the aftermath of | following (usually a negative event) | In the aftermath of the earthquake, aid was sent immediately. |
| In the event of | if something happens | In the event of an emergency, use the stairs. |
| By means of | using; as a method | He solved the issue by means of negotiation. |
| In the process of | while doing something | She broke the vase in the process of cleaning. |
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