Cause & effect statements

Printable paper with separate answer pages Step-by-step lessons

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.

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ … 是因为shì yīn wèi … (effect before cause)

The real reason

A journalist asks a famous chef why her restaurant has stayed popular for thirty years.
we / us我们wǒ men(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐpopular受欢迎shòu huān yíng，是因为shì yīn wèiall along一直yì zhíto use / with用yòngmost最zuìfresh (experience, food etc)新鲜xīn xiān(modifier / structural particle)的de(raw) material材料cái liào。 – "The reason we're popular is that we've always used the freshest ingredients."

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ + result，是因为shì yīn wèi + cause

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ A，是因为shì yīn wèi B = "the reason (why) A is that B": the known result comes first, the cause second.
(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ follows the subject: he / him他tā(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto arrive late迟到chí dào，是因为shì yīn wèi….

he他tāthe reason why之所以zhī suǒ yǐwas late迟到chí dào，is是shìbecause因为yīn wèitraffic jam堵车dǔ chē。

Explaining in essays and speeches

I / me我wǒ(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto select选择xuǎn zéthis这个zhè gespecialty专业zhuān yè，是因为shì yīn wèiI / me我wǒto / towards / correct对duìmedicine医学yī xué很感兴趣hěn gǎn xìng qù。 – "I chose this major because I'm very interested in medicine."
The pattern sounds considered and formal; it suits explanations and written arguments.

I我wǒthe reason之所以zhī suǒ yǐchose选择xuǎn zéthis这个zhè gemajor专业zhuān yè，is是shìbecause因为yīn wèiinterested感兴趣gǎn xìng qù。

Result first, cause second

Do not reverse it: (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ introduces the result, 是因为shì yīn wèi the cause. Not (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ，是因为shì yīn wèicompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le.
Keep to be / is是shì before because因为yīn wèi in the second clause: 是因为shì yīn wèi, not just because因为yīn wèi in careful writing.

Versus because因为yīn wèi…so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ…

because因为yīn wèi A，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ B: cause first, then result – the everyday order.
(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ B，是因为shì yīn wèi A: result first, as something already known, then the explanation.

because因为yīn wèitraffic jam堵车dǔ chē，so所以suǒ yǐhe他tāwas late迟到chí dào了le。

Recap

(Subject) (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ + result，是因为shì yīn wèi + cause = the reason … is that ….
Result first; keep 是因为shì yīn wèi; formal and explanatory.

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.

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ … 是因为shì yīn wèi … (effect before cause)

1701.1 Complete: “The reason I'm tired is that I slept badly.” I / me我wǒ(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ很累hěn lèi，…………because因为yīn wèiyesterday evening昨晚zuó wǎn没睡méi shuìgood好hǎo。

1701.2 Which sentence is logically correct?

A. (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ，是因为shì yīn wèicompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le。
B. (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐcompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo，so / therefore所以suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ。
C. competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sài(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ，是因为shì yīn wèito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le。
D. competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sài(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto cancel取消qǔ xiāo，是因为shì yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。

1701.3 Build: “I chose this major because I'm interested in medicine.”

Arrange all chunks: I / me我wǒ(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto select选择xuǎn zéthis这个zhè gespecialty专业zhuān yè / I / me我wǒto / towards / correct对duìmedicine医学yī xué很感兴趣hěn gǎn xìng qù。 / 是因为shì yīn wèi / ，

1701.4 because因为yīn wèi…so / therefore所以suǒ yǐ… puts the cause first; (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ…是因为shì yīn wèi… puts the result first.

True or false? Explain or repair the statement.

1701.5 A journalist asks a famous chef why her restaurant has stayed popular for thirty years. 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 (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐbecause因为yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ，to be / is是shìwe / us我们wǒ men改了gǎi leplan计划jì huà. Repair the effect-before-cause frame.

R2. Use it yourself. Explain why you chose the library rather than studying at home.

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

Open the answers after your attempt

Answers and explanations

Check after your attempt. For open tasks, compare the message and the stated criteria, then revise one detail.

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ … 是因为shì yīn wèi … (effect before cause)

1701.1 to be / is是shì

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ…，是因为shì yīn wèi….

1701.2 D. competition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sài(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto cancel取消qǔ xiāo，是因为shì yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。

(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ + result (cancelled), 是因为shì yīn wèi + cause (rain).

1701.3 I / me我wǒ(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto select选择xuǎn zéthis这个zhè gespecialty专业zhuān yè，是因为shì yīn wèiI / me我wǒto / towards / correct对duìmedicine医学yī xué很感兴趣hěn gǎn xìng qù。

Result, then 是因为shì yīn wèi + cause.

1701.4 True.

That is the key difference.

1701.5 One possible response: we / us我们wǒ men(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐpopular受欢迎shòu huān yíng，是因为shì yīn wèiall along一直yì zhíto use / with用yòngmost最zuìfresh (experience, food etc)新鲜xīn xiān(modifier / structural particle)的de(raw) material材料cái liào。

Check meaning and form:

My response conveys a message that fits the opening situation.
I can explain the meaning of the pattern, rather than only naming it.
Do not reverse it: (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ introduces the result, 是因为shì yīn wèi the cause. Not (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto rain下雨xià yǔ，是因为shì yīn wèicompetition (sports etc)比赛bǐ sàito cancel取消qǔ xiāo(completed / change)了le.
Keep to be / is是shì before because因为yīn wèi in the second clause: 是因为shì yīn wèi, not just because因为yīn wèi in careful writing.
I tried a second response with a name, time, place, or description changed.

This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.

Fresh-situation answers

R1. we / us我们wǒ men(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ改了gǎi leplan计划jì huà，是因为shì yīn wèito rain下雨xià yǔ(completed / change)了le。The action to explain belongs after (after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐ; the reason belongs after 是因为shì yīn wèi. Label effect and cause before ordering the clauses.

R2. One possible response. I / me我wǒ(after a noun N and before…之所以zhī suǒ yǐto go去qùlibrary图书馆tú shū guǎn，是因为shì yīn wèihome家里jiā lǐ太吵tài chǎo。The choice is the effect and the noise the stated reason. Other causes require their own evidence.