Cause and Effect is a crucial reasoning topic often asked in competitive exams like SSC, IBPS, SBI PO, and RRB. It tests your ability to identify the relationship between a situation (cause) and its outcome (effect). This blog covers a complete guide including short notes, tricks, formulas, solved questions, and PDFs for quick revision.
What Is Cause and Effect in Reasoning?
Cause and Effect questions require you to determine the reason behind an event (cause) and its outcome (effect).
- Why it appears in exams: These questions evaluate logical thinking and analytical skills.
- Skills required: Logic, visualization, observation, and decoding relationships.
Why Is Cause and Effect Important in Competitive Exams?
Understanding cause and effect helps in quick decision-making and reasoning under exam pressure. These questions often carry moderate marks but are relatively easy if approached systematically.
| Exam | No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| SSC CGL / CHSL | 1–2 | Easy |
| IBPS PO / SBI PO | 1–2 | Moderate |
| RRB NTPC / Group D | 1 | Easy |
| State PSC / Police | 1–2 | Moderate |
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Cause and Effect Reasoning Short Notes
Concepts commonly used while solving questions based on Cause and Effect are as follows:
| Concept | Details |
| Cause | The reason behind an event or situation |
| Effect | The result or outcome caused by an event |
| Direct Cause | Clearly leads to a specific effect |
| Indirect Cause | Leads to an effect through another factor |
| Logical Patterns | Sequential or conditional relationships |
| Symbols | → (leads to), ← (caused by), ↔ (mutual relationship) |
What Are the Types of Cause and Effect Questions in Reasoning?
Cause and Effect questions usually give you two statements and ask you to figure out how they are related. You need to identify whether one statement is the cause of the other, an effect, or if both are independent. Causes can also be classified based on how directly they influence the effect.
Types of Relationships Between Statements
- Statement I is the cause, Statement II is the effect: Statement I triggers Statement II directly.
- Statement II is the cause, Statement I is the effect: Statement II leads to Statement I.
- Both statements are independent causes: Each statement represents a separate cause with no connection to the other.
- Both statements are effects of different causes: Both results occur because of separate, unmentioned causes.
- Both statements are effects of a common cause: Both statements result from a single hidden cause not explicitly mentioned.
Types of Causes
- Direct Cause: A cause that clearly and immediately leads to an effect.
- Indirect Cause: A cause that influences the effect through one or more intermediary events.
- Principal Cause: The most important factor behind an effect, which may or may not be immediate.
- Independent Cause: A cause that has no direct or indirect connection with the effect or is influenced by another unseen factor.
Also Solve Statement and Assumption Questions Based on RRB NTPC
Cause and Effect Formulas for Reasoning
Some basic words that must be focused on while solving questions based on Cause and Effect reasoning are as follows:
- If – Then: Direct cause leads to an effect.
- If not – Then: Absence of cause prevents effect.
- Reverse Approach: Start from effect and trace potential causes.
- Elimination Method: Discard unrelated causes using context clues.
How to Approach Cause-and-Effect Reasoning Questions
Answering cause-and-effect reasoning questions involves analyzing two statements and figuring out how they are related. The goal is to see if one statement causes the other, if both are results of different independent causes, or if they have no direct connection. This skill tests your logical and analytical thinking.
- Read and understand each statement separately
- Analyze each statement on its own without assuming any connection.
- Identify the main event or situation in each statement.
- Look for a direct connection
- Check if one statement logically leads to the other.
- You can test using bridging phrases:
- Statement I causes Statement II: “Statement I happened, therefore Statement II happened.”
- Statement II causes Statement I: “Statement II happened, therefore Statement I happened.”
Example:
- Statement I: The government increased the tax on fuel.
- Statement II: Prices of consumer goods and transportation have risen.
- Analysis: The tax increase led to higher prices. So, Statement I is the cause and Statement II is the effect.
- Consider a common cause
- If neither statement directly causes the other, check if both are results of a hidden factor.
Example:
- Statement I: Many students failed the final exams.
- Statement II: Parents gathered to protest the marking scheme.
- Analysis: Both are outcomes of the school’s new marking system.
- If neither statement directly causes the other, check if both are results of a hidden factor.
- Identify independent causes
- Statements describe separate events with no link.
Example:
- Statement I: A new flyover was constructed.
- Statement II: Taxes were raised on industrial activities.
- Analysis: Each is independent of the other.
- Statements describe separate events with no link.
- Look for effects of independent causes
- Both statements are effects caused by different issues.
Example:
- Statement I: The city’s public transport system went on strike.
- Statement II: Import duties on electronics were raised.
- Analysis: A strike results from labor disputes, while tariffs are due to economic policy.
- Both statements are effects caused by different issues.
Practice all questions based on Logical Reasoning
Cause and Effect Tricks for SSC CGL and Other Exams
Quick strategies to solve efficiently:
- Draw a cause-effect chart for complex statements.
- Start from the effect and trace back to the cause.
- Use symbols like → or ← for clarity.
- Eliminate irrelevant causes using context clues.
- Practice previous year questions for pattern recognition.
Solved Cause and Effect Questions from 2024–25 Exams
Q1: SSC CGL 2024 Tier 1 – Shift 2 (Memory-Based)
Statement: Heavy rainfall in city X led to waterlogging.
Question: Identify the cause.
Answer: Heavy rainfall
Explanation: Waterlogging is the effect; rainfall is the direct cause.
Q2: IBPS PO 2024
Statement: New traffic rules were introduced, resulting in fewer accidents.
Question: Effect of new rules?
Answer: Fewer accidents
Explanation: The cause (new rules) directly reduces the effect (accidents).
Q3: RRB NTPC 2024
Statement: Factory released untreated waste, leading to river pollution.
Question: What is the cause?
Answer: Factory released untreated waste
Explanation: Pollution is the effect; waste disposal is the cause.
Cause and Effect Concepts for Bank Exams
Banking exams like IBPS/SBI often ask:
- Symbol-based relationships (A→B→C).
- Multi-step scenarios requiring logical deduction.
Example: “Increase in interest rates → Reduced borrowing → Lower loan defaults”
Check out all the details about Analytical Reasoning
Common Mistakes to Avoid while Solving Cause and Effect
Some of the common mistakes to be avoided while solving questions based on cause and effect reasoning are as follows:
- Jumping to conclusions – Don’t assume a relationship just because statements are together.
- Confusing correlation with causation – Events may happen together but not cause each other (e.g., ice cream sales and shark attacks both increase in summer due to hot weather).
- Ignoring the timeline – A cause must occur before its effect; check the tense of statements.
- Overlooking external factors – Sometimes both statements are effects of a hidden factor.
- Assuming links without logic – Always test whether one event logically leads to another.
Related Reasoning Topics to Explore
| Topics | Topics |
| Blood Relation Concepts | Floor Based Puzzle Short Tricks |
| Clock Reasoning Concepts | Puzzle Reasoning Questions |
| Calendar Reasoning Strategies | Alphanumeric Series Patterns |
Aspirants, now you have a clear understanding of how to practice and solve Cause and Effects questions effectively. You can also enroll in Oliveboard Courses and learn from experienced faculty members to strengthen your preparation before appearing for the next competitive exam.
FAQs
Focus on direct relationships and ignore unrelated factors.
Use symbols like → to represent causal links for clarity.
Logic, analytical thinking, visualization, and decoding.
Trace intermediary steps between cause and effect.
Stick strictly to information given in the statement.
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