Cause & effect statements

Original teaching practice. Read one pattern, cover its model and try the questions before checking the separate answer section. Examples adapted from Chinese Grammar Wiki (AllSet Learning, CC BY-NC-SA) retain the course-reference provenance.

due to由于yóu yú (due to / owing to)

Flight delayed

• An airport announcement explains why your flight is late.
• due to由于yóu yúweather天气tiān qìcause原因yuán yīn，(scheduled) flight航班háng bānto postpone推迟tuī chí(of an aircraft) to take off起飞qǐ fēi。 – "Due to the weather, the flight's departure has been delayed."

due to由于yóu yú + cause，result

• due to由于yóu yú = "due to, owing to": a formal "because", common in notices, news and writing.
• It can take a noun phrase or a clause: due to由于yóu yú(concept of) time时间shí jiānvariant of 关系关系guān xì, due to由于yóu yúhe / him他tāto fall ill生病shēng bìng(completed / change)了le.

due to由于yóu yúhe他tāill生病shēng bìng了le，the meeting会议huì yìcancelled取消qǔ xiāo了le。

With so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ or therefore因此yīn cǐ

• due to由于yóu yúto work工作gōng zuòbusy忙máng，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐhe / him他tā很少hěn shǎoto return home回家huí jiā。 – "Because work is busy, he rarely goes home."
• due to由于yóu yú准备充分zhǔn bèi chōng fèn，therefore因此yīn cǐcompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàidegree / adjective linker很hěnsmoothly顺利shùn lì。 – "Because we prepared well, the competition went smoothly."

owing to由于yóu yúwork工作gōng zuòbusy忙máng，so所以suǒ yǐhe他tārarely很少hěn shǎogoes home回家huí jiā。

Formal, and cause first

• due to由于yóu yú introduces the cause before the result; "the result, due to由于yóu yú cause" is less natural than with because因为yīn wèi.
• In everyday conversation, because因为yīn wèi sounds more natural than due to由于yóu yú.

due to由于yóu yú versus because因为yīn wèi

• because因为yīn wèi can follow the result: I / me我wǒnot / haven't没méito go去qù，because因为yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le.
• due to由于yóu yú normally starts the sentence and can pair with therefore因此yīn cǐ: due to由于yóu yú…，therefore因此yīn cǐ….

I我wǒdidn't没méigo去qù，because因为yīn wèiit rained下雨xià yǔ了le。

Recap

• due to由于yóu yú + cause，(so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ / therefore因此yīn cǐ) result = due to / owing to (formal).
• Cause first; because因为yīn wèi is the everyday word and can follow the result.

Practise this pattern step by step.

since既然jì rán … ，then / just就jiù … (since / now that)

Since you're here

• Your friend drops by just as you are cooking dinner.
• since既然jì ránto come来lái(completed / change)了le，then / just就jiùin the same place一起yì qǐto have a meal吃饭chī fàn(suggestion)吧ba！ – "Since you're here, stay and eat with us!"

since既然jì rán A，then / just就jiù B = since A (is a fact), B

• since既然jì rán introduces a known fact; the second clause draws a conclusion or suggestion with then / just就jiù.
• then / just就jiù goes after the subject: since既然jì rányou你nǐnot不bùcomfortable舒服shū fú，you你nǐthen / just就jiùto return home回家huí jiārest休息xiū xī(suggestion)吧ba.

since既然jì rányou你nǐnot不bùwell舒服shū fu，then就jiùgo home回家huí jiārest休息xiū xi吧ba。

Advice and decisions

• since既然jì rányou你nǐalready已经yǐ jīngto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng(completed / change)了le，I / me我wǒthen / just就jiùnot不bùmany多duōvariant of 说说shuō(completed / change)了le。 – "Since you've already decided, I won't say any more."
• The second part is often a suggestion ((suggestion)吧ba), a decision or a question (why?为什么wèi shén mestill / also还hái…？).

since既然jì rányou你nǐalready已经yǐ jīngdecided决定jué dìng了le，I我wǒthen就jiùnot不bùmore多duōsay说shuō了le。

A fact both people know

• since既然jì rán needs a fact that is already true and known; for a possibility use if如果rú guǒ: if如果rú guǒyou你nǐto come来lái，… .
• Pair it with then / just就jiù (or that那nà / still / also还hái), not so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ: since既然jì ránto rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le，we / us我们wǒ menthen / just就jiù别去了bié qù le.

since既然jì rán versus because因为yīn wèi

• because因为yīn wèi explains why something happened: because因为yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ，competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le.
• since既然jì rán uses a fact to suggest what to do now: since既然jì ránto rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le，we / us我们wǒ menthen / just就jiùto be at home在家zài jiāto see看kàn电影吧diàn yǐng ba.

since既然jì ránit's raining下雨xià yǔ了le，we我们wǒ menthen就jiùat在zàihome家jiāwatch看kàna film电影diàn yǐng吧ba。

Recap

• since既然jì rán A，(Subject) then / just就jiù B = since A (a known fact), then B (suggestion or decision).
• Not for possibilities (if如果rú guǒ); pairs with then / just就jiù, not so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ.

Practise this pattern step by step.

therefore因此yīn cǐ (therefore / for this reason)

Writing up results

• You are writing a report on why sales of a new drink went up.
• new新xīn产品价格chǎn pǐn jià gélow低dī，therefore因此yīn cǐdegree / adjective linker很hěnpopular受欢迎shòu huān yíng。 – "The new product is cheap, and is therefore very popular."

Cause，therefore因此yīn cǐ + result

• therefore因此yīn cǐ = "therefore, for this reason": a formal "so", common in writing.
• It starts the result clause or follows its subject: therefore因此yīn cǐhe / him他tāto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng… / he / him他tātherefore因此yīn cǐto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng….

he他tāevery day每天měi tiānpractises练习liàn xí，therefore因此yīn cǐimproves进步jìn bùvery很hěnfast快kuài。

After a full sentence too

• 这次zhè cìto take an exam考试kǎo shìdegree / adjective linker很hěnimportant重要zhòng yào。therefore因此yīn cǐ，everyone大家dà jiāwant / will / need要yàoconscientious认真rèn zhēnvariant of 复习复习fù xí。 – "This exam is important. Therefore, everyone must revise carefully."
• It can start a new sentence, followed by a comma.

therefore因此yīn cǐ，everyone大家dà jiāmust要yàocarefully认真rèn zhēnrevise复习fù xí。

Do not pair with because因为yīn wèi

• Use due to由于yóu yú…，therefore因此yīn cǐ… or because因为yīn wèi…，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ…; because因为yīn wèi…，therefore因此yīn cǐ… is avoided in careful writing.
• therefore因此yīn cǐ is formal; in chat, so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ is more natural.

therefore因此yīn cǐ versus so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ and and so于是yú shì

• so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ is the everyday "so": to rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐI / me我wǒnot / haven't没méito go去qù.
• and so于是yú shì tells the next action in a story; therefore因此yīn cǐ gives a logical consequence.

it rained下雨xià yǔ了le，so所以suǒ yǐI我wǒdidn't没méigo去qù。

Recap

• Cause，therefore因此yīn cǐ + result = therefore (formal); it may start a new sentence.
• Pairs with due to由于yóu yú; everyday speech uses so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ.

Practise this pattern step by step.

Practice without the models

Choose a pattern, cover its teaching examples, and attempt its questions. Use the labels to find feedback in the separate key.

due to由于yóu yú (due to / owing to)

1901.1 Complete (notice): “Due to the bad weather, the event is cancelled.” …………weather天气tiān qìno good不好bù hǎo，to exercise活动huó dòngto cancel取消qǔ xiāo。

1901.2 Which word can naturally follow the result? I / me我wǒnot / haven't没méito go去qù，____to rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。

• A. due to由于yóu yú
• B. and so于是yú shì
• C. therefore因此yīn cǐ
• D. because因为yīn wèi

1901.3 Build: “Because we prepared well, the competition went smoothly.”

Arrange all chunks: therefore因此yīn cǐ / competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàidegree / adjective linker很hěnsmoothly顺利shùn lì。 / due to由于yóu yú准备充分zhǔn bèi chōng fèn / ，

1901.4 due to由于yóu yú sounds more formal than because因为yīn wèi.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

1901.5 An airport announcement explains why your flight is late. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

since既然jì rán … ，then / just就jiù … (since / now that)

1902.1 Complete: “Since you're ill, go home and rest.” …………you你nǐillness病bìng(completed / change)了le，then / just就jiùto return home回家huí jiārest休息xiū xī(suggestion)吧ba。

1902.2 Which sentence is correct?

• A. since既然jì ránto rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐwe / us我们wǒ men别去了bié qù le。
• B. since既然jì ránto rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le，we / us我们wǒ menthen / just就jiù别去了bié qù le。
• C. we / us我们wǒ menthen / just就jiù别去了bié qù le，since既然jì ránso / therefore所以suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ。
• D. since既然jì rántomorrow明天míng tiānmaybe / possible可能kě néngto rain下雨xià yǔ，then / just就jiùwe / us我们wǒ men别去bié qù。

1902.3 Build: “Since you've decided, I won't say any more.”

Arrange all chunks: I / me我wǒthen / just就jiù / ， / since既然jì rányou你nǐalready已经yǐ jīngto decide (to do something)决定jué dìng(completed / change)了le / not不bùmany多duōvariant of 说说shuō(completed / change)了le。

1902.4 since既然jì rán is the right word for a situation that may or may not happen.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

1902.5 Your friend drops by just as you are cooking dinner. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

therefore因此yīn cǐ (therefore / for this reason)

1903.1 Complete (written): “He practises daily and therefore improves fast.” he / him他tāevery day每天měi tiānto practice练习liàn xí，…………progress进步jìn bù很快hěn kuài。

1903.2 Which pair suits careful writing?

• A. due to由于yóu yú…，therefore因此yīn cǐ…
• B. if如果rú guǒ…，therefore因此yīn cǐ…
• C. since既然jì rán…，therefore因此yīn cǐ…
• D. because因为yīn wèi…，therefore因此yīn cǐ…

1903.3 Build: “Therefore, everyone must revise carefully.”

Arrange all chunks: everyone大家dà jiāwant / will / need要yào / therefore因此yīn cǐ / ， / conscientious认真rèn zhēnvariant of 复习复习fù xí。

1903.4 In casual conversation, so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ sounds more natural than therefore因此yīn cǐ.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

1903.5 You are writing a report on why sales of a new drink went up. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.

Write or say your own response before reading the key.

A fresh situation

R1. Interpret and repair. A learner writes since既然jì ránhe / him他tāmaybe / possible可能kě néngcan / will会huìto come来lái，we / us我们wǒ menthen / just就jiùto / for / give给gěihe / him他tā留座liú zuò and calls the arrival an established fact. What needs qualification?

R2. Use it yourself. Give a decision based on the accepted fact that everyone has arrived, using since既然jì rán.

Write your responses before opening the key. Compare meaning as well as form; a different valid answer need not copy the model.