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 the meaning, key concepts and common question patterns, along with a free PDF of 100 practice questions and a live quiz.
Download Cause and Effect Questions with Answers PDF
Candidates can download the Cause and Effect Questions PDF from the link given below. It contains 100 exam-relevant practice questions with correct answers for SSC, Banking, Insurance, Railways, Defence and other competitive exams.
Attempt Cause and Effect Questions Live Quiz
Solve the Cause and Effect Questions given below and check your performance through the live quiz. The practice set covers direct and indirect causes, independent causes, common causes, immediate and remote effects, and other important patterns commonly asked in SSC, Railways, Banking, Insurance, Defence and UPSC exams.
Q1. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Heavy overnight rain lashed the city.
II. Several low-lying streets were flooded in the morning.
Q2. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Employee absenteeism at the factory declined.
II. The company started a free bus service for workers.
Q3. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The college reduced the entrance-exam cut-off marks.
II. The students’ union intensified its campaign for better canteen hygiene.
Q4. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The government increased the import duty on luxury goods.
II. The railway employees’ union called a nationwide strike.
Q5. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The municipal corporation repaired the broken streetlights at the junction.
II. The number of night-time accidents at the junction decreased.
Q6. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Several morning flights were cancelled.
II. Dense fog reduced visibility at the airport.
Q7. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Train services on the northern route were delayed.
II. Outpatient attendance at the district hospital increased.
Q8. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The school revised its annual examination timetable.
II. The municipality raised the water tariff.
Q9. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The railways announced additional trains for the festival season.
II. Many wait-listed passengers received confirmed berths.
Q10. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Vegetable prices rose sharply in the local market.
II. Unseasonal rain damaged crops in nearby districts.
Q11. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Export orders received by the textile unit declined.
II. Membership of the school library increased.
Q12. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The bank launched a new savings scheme.
II. The city police imposed traffic diversions near the stadium.
Q13. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. The school introduced compulsory remedial classes for weak students.
II. The school pass percentage increased in the final examination.
Q14. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Student attendance at the primary school improved.
II. A free breakfast scheme was introduced at the school.
Q15. Read the two statements and select the correct relationship.
I. Production at the automobile factory fell.
II. Tourist arrivals in the hill town increased.
Quiz Summary
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What is Cause and Effect Definition?
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 / SSC CHSL | 1-2 | Easy |
| IBPS PO / SBI PO | 1-2 | Moderate |
| RRB NTPC / RRB Group D | 1 | Easy |
| State PSC / Police | 1–2 | Moderate |
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 Cause and Effect Examples 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.
Check out all the details about Analytical Reasoning
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.
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 Solve Cause and Effect Questions?
Answering cause-and-effect reasoning questions involves analysing two statements and determining how they are related. The objective is to identify whether one statement causes the other, whether both are effects of a common cause, or whether they are independent events.
| Step | What to Do | How to Analyze | Example or Interpretation |
| 1. Read Each Statement Separately | Understand both statements independently before connecting them. | Identify the main event, action or situation mentioned in each statement. Avoid making assumptions. | Determine what exactly happened in Statement I and Statement II. |
| 2. Look for a Direct Connection | Check whether one statement logically leads to the other. | Use bridging phrases such as: “Statement I happened; therefore, Statement II happened” or “Statement II happened; therefore, Statement I happened.” | If the sentence sounds logical and realistic, one statement may be the cause and the other the effect. |
| 3. Statement I as Cause | Check whether Statement I directly produces the event in Statement II. | Ask whether Statement II would reasonably occur because of Statement I. | Statement I: The government increased the tax on fuel. Statement II: Prices of consumer goods and transportation increased. The fuel-tax increase is the cause, while the rise in prices is the effect. |
| 4. Statement II as Cause | Check whether Statement II directly produces the event in Statement I. | Reverse the order and test whether Statement II logically explains Statement I. | If Statement II explains why Statement I occurred, Statement II is the cause and Statement I is the effect. |
| 5. Consider a Common Cause | Check whether both statements are effects of the same underlying event. | Look for a hidden factor that could independently produce both situations. | Statement I: Many students failed the final examination. Statement II: Parents protested against the marking scheme. Both may be effects of a newly introduced or faulty marking system. |
| 6. Identify Independent Causes | Determine whether the statements describe unrelated events caused by separate factors. | Check whether there is any logical, factual or chronological relationship between them. | Statement I: A new flyover was constructed. Statement II: Taxes on industrial activities were increased. The two events are independent. |
| 7. Identify Effects of Independent Causes | Check whether both statements are effects, but of different causes. | Find the separate possible reason behind each statement. | Statement I: The city’s public transport system went on strike. This may result from a labour dispute. Statement II: Import duties on electronics were increased. This may result from an economic policy decision. Both are effects of independent causes. |
| 8. Check the Sequence of Events | Ensure that the cause occurs before the effect. | A later event cannot normally be the cause of an earlier event. | If Statement I happened before Statement II and logically produced it, Statement I is likely to be the cause. |
| 9. Avoid Assumptions | Use only the information provided in the statements and commonly accepted facts. | Do not create an imaginary relationship merely because the statements appear related. | A connection must be direct, logical and sufficiently supported. |
| 10. Select the Correct Relationship | Choose the option that best describes the relationship between the statements. | Decide whether Statement I is the cause, Statement II is the cause, both are independent causes, both are effects of a common cause, or both are unrelated effects. | Select the option only after checking direction, sequence and logical validity. |
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.
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 |
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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