In every story, things happen for a reason. When one event makes another event happen, we call it cause and effect. The cause is why something happens, and the effect is what happens because of it.

Think of it like falling dominoes. You tip one domino, and it knocks into the next one, and that one knocks into the next. In a story, one event can knock into another event the very same way.

Here is a clue word trick: words like because, so, since, and therefore often point to cause and effect. If a character stays up too late because he is scared, being scared is the cause and staying up is the effect.

To find the effect, ask what happened. To find the cause, ask why it happened. When you can answer both questions, you understand how the story fits together instead of just reading one event at a time.

Understanding cause and effect also helps you guess what might come next. If a character forgets her umbrella, you can predict she will get wet. Good readers use causes to make smart predictions.

This skill is not only for stories. In real life, if you do not do your homework, the effect is a hard time in class. Spotting causes and effects helps you make better choices every single day.