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General English · Speaking · B2

Explaining causes and consequences

Explain a plausible chain of effects without overstating what caused them.

Lesson 6 · About 22 minutes

Learn: your objectives

  • Connect a cause, mechanism and consequence.
  • Recognise contributing factors and uncertainty.

Warm-up

Think about these questions. Say a short answer aloud.

  • How could a timetable change affect attendance?
  • Does one event happening before another prove it caused it?

Useful language

Explaining a chain

One contributing factor may be …

Name a possible influence, not necessarily the sole cause.

One contributing factor may be the earlier start time.

This can lead to …

Explain a possible consequence.

This can lead to longer waits for people changing buses.

In turn, …

Continue a connected chain.

In turn, some visitors may choose a different route.

Notice: model speaking

Read aloud. Notice how the speakers use the phrases and respond to each other.

Speaker: Attendance fell after the workshop moved to an earlier time. The new time may be one contributing factor: people finishing work at six can no longer arrive for the start.

Speaker: If they miss the introduction, they may feel reluctant to join late. That could reduce repeat visits as well as attendance on a particular evening.

Speaker: However, timing is not the only possible explanation. The topic also changed. We'd need to ask participants about both before deciding which change had the greater effect.

Speaking strategy

Show the mechanism between events rather than relying on ‘after this, therefore because of this’. Mention a relevant alternative factor when the cause has not been established.

Pronunciation & fluency focus

Pause at each link in the chain: change, immediate effect, later consequence. Stress can or may when the relationship is uncertain.

Teaching guidance, not an analysis of your voice.

Use: controlled practice

Choose a useful response for each situation. Check when all questions are answered. These are phrase exercises, not a speaking assessment.

1. Attendance fell after a timetable change. What can you conclude immediately?
2. Which mechanism connects an earlier start to fewer working participants?
3. Name another factor worth checking in the model.
4. Which wording avoids overstating causation?
5. What does ‘in turn’ do in an explanation?

Build your answer

Write a few keywords. Then look away and speak. Notes stay on this page only.

Speak: your challenge

Explain for two minutes how a change in local transport might affect a community activity. Show the chain of effects and distinguish possibilities from established facts.

Use a fictional case. Avoid invented numerical evidence.

Speak aloud. This page does not record, listen to or assess your speech. There is no automatic speaking score.

Self-check

Open to everyone. Answers, notes and checklists are not saved to an account. These original lessons use level labels to organize learning; completion is not official CEFR certification or proof of a level.