Cause and Effects | Logical Reasoning for CLAT PDF Download

The Cause and Effect Reasoning section is often considered one of the more challenging parts of logical reasoning. Although the questions may seem simple, they are crafted in a way that can confuse candidates.

This article will focus on the essential ideas behind cause and effect in logical reasoning. We will also include examples, practice questions, and helpful tips to improve your understanding. Before diving deeper, let’s review some basic concepts related to cause and effect.

• Nature of Questions: The questions in this section can appear straightforward, yet they often have hidden complexities.
• Common Confusion: Many candidates struggle with these problems due to their tricky wording.
• Key Concepts: Understanding the fundamental principles of cause and effect is vital for tackling these questions effectively.
• Examples and Practice: We will provide solved examples to illustrate the concepts clearly.
• Tips and Tricks: Practical advice will be shared to help you navigate this section more easily.

What are the Cause and their Effect?

• Cause and effect are related ideas where one thing leads to another; when something occurs (the cause), it results in a certain outcome (the effect).
• In reasoning, a cause can result in either a positive or negative outcome.
• Questions that test a candidate's analytical and logical thinking skills often focus on understanding cause and effect.
• To explain further, a cause is the logical or scientific reason for an event that has happened, while the effects are what happen because of that event.
• Usually, each question has two statements, and students need to figure out if the cause is independent or if it is a shared cause that impacts others.
• For a cause to be considered valid, it must be either sufficient or necessary.
• A necessary condition is something that must be present for an event to take place; it is crucial for the event to happen.
• Knowing these conditions helps to clarify how events are linked and the reasoning behind them.

Types of Causes

1) Immediate cause:

An immediate cause refers to a reason that happens right before an effect takes place.  In simpler terms, immediate causes are the closest in time to the resulting effect.

For example,consider a situation where a driver is operating his car while being intoxicated. 
If the driver crashes the car and dies, the immediate cause of death is the crash itself. 
Meanwhile, the proximate cause of the incident is the alcohol consumption that led to impaired driving. 

2) Principal  cause:

The principal cause is the main reason for any event happening. An immediate cause might not always be the principal cause. The principal cause is the key reason behind why something is effective.

Example:Rohit does not study, so he failed his exams. In this situation, failing is the result, and the reason for it is not studying. Thus, failing is the principal cause in this case.

3) Independent cause:

This is a cause related to any independent events in the question.  Independent causes do not have a direct or indirect relationship with the given effect.  The effect in this case may be caused by a third event that is not mentioned. 

Example: I was tired from working all day, so I went to bed early.   In this example, working all day is the cause, and going to bed early is the effect.  However, working all day is considered an independent cause. 

How to Solve Questions Based on Cause and Effects – Know all Tips and Tricks 

Candidates can find various tips and tricks from below for solving the questions related to the Cause and Effects reasoning section. 

Tip # 1: Principle and immediate cause sound similar but there is a difference between principle and immediate cause. The principal cause is the main and most important reason for the effect, while the immediate cause is the most proximate in time to the effect. 

Tip # 2: If both events are in present perfect tense, then it cannot be decided which one is antecedent to whom. Therefore, candidates need to check for any common connection between the two statements. 

Tip # 3: If the first statement is in present perfect tense and statement two is in future tense, then statement 1 will be antecedent to statement 2 and that is why statement 2 cannot be the cause of statement 1. 

Tip # 4: If the first statement is in present perfect and statement two is in present continuous, then statement 1 should have occurred before statement 2 and that is why statement 1 cannot be the cause of statement 2.

Cause and Effect: Reasoning Questions and Answers

Q1. Directions: Solve the following Cause and Effect Reasoning Questions by choosing the correct option:
Statement 1: The company has decided to increase the salary of its employees. 
Statement 2: The employees threatened to go on strike if their demands for a salary hike  were not met. 
(a) Statement I is the cause and statement II is its effect 
(b)Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect 
(c)Both the statements I and II are independent causes 
(d)Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes 
(e)Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause

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Q2. Directions: Solve the following Cause and Effect Reasoning Questions by choosing the correct option:
Statement 1: The government has imposed a fine on people who litter in public places. 
Statement 2: The cleanliness of public places has improved significantly in the recent past.
(a) Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect 
(b)Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect 
(c)Both the statements I and II are independent causes 
(d)Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes 
(e)Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause

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Q3. Directions: Solve the following Cause and Effect Reasoning Questions by choosing the correct option:
Statement 1: The use of plastic bags has been banned in the city. 
Statement 2: The pollution levels in the city have decreased in the recent past.
(a) Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect 
(b)Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect 
(c)Both the statements I and II are independent causes 
(d)Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes 
(e)Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause

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Q4. Directions: Solve the following Cause and Effect Reasoning Questions by choosing the correct option:
Statement 1: The prices of petrol and diesel have increased in the country. 
Statement 2: The inflation rate has gone up in the recent past.
(a) Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect 
(b)Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect 
(c)Both the statements I and II are independent causes 
(d)Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes 
(e)Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause

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Q5. Directions: Solve the following Cause and Effect Reasoning Questions by choosing the correct option:
Statement 1: The government has announced a reduction in the interest rates. 
Statement 2: The number of people taking loans has increased in the recent past.
(a) Statement I is the cause and Statement II is its effect 
(b)Statement II is the cause and statement I is its effect 
(c)Both the statements I and II are independent causes 
(d)Both the statements I and II are effects of independent causes 
(e)Both the statements I and II are effects of some common cause

  View Answer