1. Cause and Effect Problem / solution
Essay

2. The author lists one or more causes or events and the resulting consequences or effects.
Effect= what happened?
Cause= What made it happen?
The purpose is to explain why or how something happened, exists, or works.

3. Essays usually focus on the cause or the effect.
Your hobby may be tropical fish. You emphasize the causes.
Wanted a pet but allergic to fur
Fascinated with an aquarium at the doctor’s office
Your aunt gave you two goldfish and a bowl
If you focus on the effect, you might be writing on how your interest in tropical fish led to your majoring in marine biology.

4. Cause and Effect Organizational pattern

5. Cause and Effect Organizational Patterns

6. Signal Words Because because of As as a result of
Since reasons why reasons for
Consequently result
Caused caused by in order to
Inspired influenced by
Led to leads or leads to
Begin effects of So
Therefore
Onset outcome brought on by
If-then impact

7. Problem and Solution
The author states a problem and lists one or more possible solutions to the problem.
The author states several problems and then writes about a possible solution.
May also include the pros and cons for the solutions.

8. Problem/Solution Organizational pattern

9. Problem/Solution Organizational Pattern

10. Signal Words Problem is conclusion Dilemma is one challenge
Solved solution is
Question issue
Answer possible answer
Because therefore
Since if…then, thus
This led to this let to, so that
The main difficulty therefore
One possible a potential alternative is