WRITING SKILLS

UNIT 8: CAUSE PARAGRAPHS

Sample:
People around the world spend hours playing video games. In my opinion, there are four main reasons for
this fact. First of all, playing video games can give gamers a sense of success (reason 1). Games usually
have many levels and get tougher as the games progress. Therefore, every time players pass a level, it
makes them feel like achieving something good and they keep playing. Secondly, video games are
popular because they allow gamers to try out different characteristics (reason 2). It is just like role-
playing, where gamers can be someone new all the time. Besides, when playing games, players seem to
have more freedom (reason 3). They can even create a whole new world as they wish and do anything
they want to protect that world. Finally, gamers can make a lot of new friends (reason 4) while enjoying
games. Online games now are usually for group players, and they can chat with one another to form a
team and play together. For all the above reasons, more and more people play games today.
Read the paragraph and answer the questions:
1. Underline the topic sentence and concluding sentence.
2. What is the purpose of this paragraph? Underline the phrases that help you find the answer.
Definition
Đoạn văn nguyên nhân (a cause paragraph) giải thích vì sao một sự vật/hiện tượng/ tình huống đã và đang
xảy ra. Thông thường, với mỗi nguyên nhân, em cần đưa ra các câu giải thích chi tiết để thuyết phục
người đọc.
Activity 1:
a. Hãy liệt kê những nguyên nhân khiến mọi người thích chơi trò chơi điện tử được nêu trong đoạn
văn trên.
1.Playing video games can give gamers a sense of success.
2…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
b.Với mỗi nguyên nhân, hãy chỉ ra đâu là các câu giải thích chi tiết (supporting details)
1.Playing video games can give gamers a sense of success.
+ Games usually have many levels and get tougher as the games progress => feel happy when passing a
level => keep playing
2. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
3. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
4. …………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Prepared by: Ms. Mai Bui – THPT CNN

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…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS
- Because/since/as + clause
- Because of/ Due to/Owing to/Thanks to + N/N phrase/Ving
- Therefore,/ Consequently,/ As a result,/…
- Hence,/Thus,… (cách dùng như Therefore)
- Clause, thereby + Ving
Eg: He failed the test, thus/thereby failing the course.
- cause sth/ lead to sth/ result in sth
- Cause sb to V/ lead sb to V
- Make sb V
- Be responsible for sth
- Sth stems from/ originates from…
Topic sentence for a cause paragraph
There are … reasons for + N/N phrase
There are… reasons why + clause
[situation] because of/ due to… reasons (as follows)
ORGANIZATION
Dựa vào đoạn văn ở phần Sample, em có xác định được bố cục của một đoạn văn về nguyên nhân không?
Câu mở đoạn
- Giới thiệu sự việc/hiện tượng/tình huống.
- Để cập đến các nguyên nhân dẫn đến sự việc/hiện tượng/tình huống đó
Lưu ý: Để diễn đạt nội dung trên, em có thể viết chung trong 1 câu hoặc tách thành 2 câu, trong đó, câu
giới thiệu về sự việc/hiện tượng/tình huống sẽ là câu “mổi” (a hook) nhằm thu hút sự chú ý của người
đọc.
Thân đoạn
- Nguyên nhân 1
+ Chỉ tiết 1: làm rõ nguyên nhân 1
- Nguyên nhân 2
+ Chỉ tiết 2: làm rõ nguyên nhân 2
Câu kết đoạn

Prepared by: Ms. Mai Bui – THPT CNN

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- Tóm tắt lại những nguyên nhân đã nêu: In short / In brief,..

PRACTICE
Topic 1: Why do so many people choose to live in big cities?
Complete the outline below

Reason 1: Abundant Career Opportunities:

In the big cities, it will sometimes be economical center and it is also able to bring resident many
job opportunities.
Reason 2: Wide array of amenities and conveniences:
Firstly, because of having a numerous of jobs so its facilities are the best for the engineer and
worker to work more productive. Secondly, due to high number of dwellers, so that big cities
must provide resident with highest infrastructure.
Topic 2: What are the reasons why many people keep dogs at home?
Complete the outline below with either Main ideas or Supporting details
Reason 1: Dogs provide great companionship
- Dogs are playful in nature => They can give us many positive feeling and make us feel less tired
- They are famous for their loyalty => They can become your best friend, it can help you to overcome
most hopeless feeling.
Reason 2: Dogs are highly valued for their protective instincts: Because of having protective instincts
so dogs are usually use to help their owner protect their asset.
Reason 3: Dogs can help you to strengthen and become more active
-Dogs need regular exercise, which encourages their owners to stay active as well. Whether it's going for
walks, playing fetch, having a dog can motivate people to get outdoors and move their bodies.
Reason 4: Keeping dogs helps develop a sense of responsibility: To take care of a dog, you have to buy
food, water and teach it how to waste right. Doing that activity everyday will make you more
responsibility.
Reason 5: Dogs can help their owners enhance their social network: Taking dogs for a walk will make
their owner become sociability and create more friendship and relationship with strange people.
Reason 6: Dogs can provide special assistance and therapy
Dogs are very smart so it can comfort their owner when they are depress or sad.
TOPIC 3: Wearing school uniforms
Write a paragraph to explain why students should wear uniforms at school, using the three main ideas as
follows:
- Promote a sense of equality
- Minimize distraction related to fashion choices
- Instill a sense of pride

Prepared by: Ms. Mai Bui – THPT CNN

 WRITING SKILLS

Students should wear uniforms at school because they promote a sense of equality, minimize
distractions related to fashion choices, and instill a sense of pride. Uniforms create an
environment where students are judged based on their character and abilities rather than their
clothing, fostering exclusivity and reducing social pressure. By eliminating the need to choose
daily outfits, uniforms help students focus on their studies rather than fashion, leading to a more
productive and less stressful school day. Additionally, uniform make students become more
uniform.Therefore, in conclusion, uniform not only make students focus more on studying but
also make students easily to recognize where they are studying without asking much.

Prepared by: Ms. Mai Bui – THPT CNN