Basic Details
Word: Causative
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Making something happen; acting as the cause of something. In grammar, a causative verb shows that someone makes another person do something.
Synonyms: responsible, causal, contributing
Antonyms: resulting, preventive
How to Spell Causative
Syllables: cau - sa - tive
Tricky part: The first part is caus- with au, from cause. The ending is -ative with an a, not -itive or -etive.
Watch out for: causitive, cosative, causetive
Memory tip: Start with cause, drop its e and add -ative: caus + ative, the same ending as talkative.
Usage Examples
Example 1: Heavy rain was a causative factor in the landslide.
Example 2: Scientists identified a bacterium as the causative agent of the disease.
Example 3: Our geography teacher asked us to explain the causative link between cutting forests and flooding.
Fun Fact
In grammar, verbs such as make, let and have can be causative: in 'Mum made me tidy my room', Mum causes the action but I do it.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. causative 2. diagnosys 3. symtom 4. epedemic
a) acting as the cause of something
b) a sign of an illness, such as fever or a cough
c) finding out what illness a person has
d) a disease that spreads quickly to many people in an area
Show answer
a) acting as the cause of something. Symptom hides a p before the t, epidemic has i after the p, diagnosis ends in -sis; causative is correct.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to causative as used in the sentence:
Doctors found that unclean drinking water was the causative factor in the outbreak of typhoid.
a) harmless
b) responsible
c) resulting
d) preventive
Show answer
b) responsible. A causative factor is the one responsible for the outbreak; a resulting factor would come after it.
Word Makeup
Only one of these words can take the suffix -ative to form a real word. Choose it.
a) dream
b) cause
c) speak
d) shout
Show answer
b) cause. Cause drops its e to give causative; speakative, dreamative and shoutative are not words.
Mingle-Mangle
The sentence contains a jumbled word. Choose the word it hides:
The lab report named a virus as the ucsitavea agent of the fever.
a) curative
b) casualty
c) causative
d) cautious
Show answer
c) causative. The agent that causes a fever is the causative agent; curative would mean one that cures it.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A causative factor is one that ____.
a) prevents a result
b) follows a result
c) measures a result
d) brings about a result
Show answer
d) brings about a result
2. The opposite idea to a cause is ____.
a) an effect
b) a source
c) a trigger
d) a reason
Show answer
a) an effect
