Let’s go through each sentence one by one.
We need to look at the
underlined phrase and decide:
→ Is it the
cause? (That means it’s the reason something happened.) → Write
C
→ Or is it the
effect? (That means it’s what happened because of something else.) → Write
E
Remember:
- “Because” usually introduces the
cause.
- “So” usually introduces the
effect.
---
1. *Katie ate all of her breakfast*
because she was hungry.
→ The underlined part is “because she was hungry” — that’s the
reason she ate. So it’s the
cause.
✔ Answer:
C
2. *The stove temperature was set too high*,
so the cake burned.
→ Underlined: “so the cake burned” — this is what
happened because the stove was too hot. That’s the
effect.
✔ Answer:
E
3. *I was late for school today*
because my alarm never went off.
→ Underlined: “because my alarm never went off” — that’s the
reason I was late. Cause.
✔ Answer:
C
4. *Frank dropped his Batman toy*
because he didn’t hold it tightly.
→ Underlined: “because he didn’t hold it tightly” — that’s why he dropped it. Cause.
✔ Answer:
C
5. *Family was coming for dinner*,
so we helped clean the house.
→ Underlined: “so we helped clean the house” — this is what we did
because family was coming. Effect.
✔ Answer:
E
6. *Nana baked me a cake*
because it was my birthday.
→ Underlined: “because it was my birthday” — that’s the reason Nana baked the cake. Cause.
✔ Answer:
C
7. *There was a hole in the bag*,
and the m&ms spilled all over.
→ Underlined: “and the m&ms spilled all over” — this happened
because there was a hole. Effect.
✔ Answer:
E
8. *The movie was over*,
so mom said we had to go to bed.
→ Underlined: “so mom said we had to go to bed” — this is what happened after the movie ended. Effect.
✔ Answer:
E
9. *We sold our car*
because we needed a bigger one.
→ Underlined: “because we needed a bigger one” — that’s the reason we sold the car. Cause.
✔ Answer:
C
10. *Mom took Sparkie to the vet*
because he hurt his leg.
→ Underlined: “because he hurt his leg” — that’s why Mom took him to the vet. Cause.
✔ Answer:
C
---
Final Answer:
1. C
2. E
3. C
4. C
5. E
6. C
7. E
8. E
9. C
10. C
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of cause and effect 3rd grade worksheet.
