A paragraph mentions multiple causes for a problem; what structure does this imply?

• A. Narrative structure
• B. Descriptive structure
• C. Cause/effect structure
• D. Compare/contrast structure

Answer: (C)

When a paragraph lays out several reasons why something happened, it’s using a cause/effect structure. This pattern organizes information around causes (the reasons) and effects (what happened as a result). It helps the reader see how each cause contributes to the problem and what outcomes followed. You can notice clues in the text like because, since, as a result, or phrases that connect an event to its outcome. This focus on why something occurred and what happened because of it is what makes cause/effect the best fit. Other structures—narrative, descriptive, or compare/contrast—don’t center on linking multiple causes to their results in the same way.