Basic Details
Word: Cause
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Something that makes another thing happen; also an aim or idea that people support, such as a charity.
Synonyms: reason, source, origin, basis
Antonyms: effect, result
Sounds like: caws (the harsh cries a crow makes)
Word origin: Comes through French from Latin causa, 'reason' or 'law case'.
How to Spell Cause
Syllables: cause
Tricky part: The aw sound is spelt au, and the word ends with a silent e after s. Cuase, with the vowels swapped, is a common slip.
Watch out for: cuase, cawse, couse
Memory tip: Cause has the au of August and a quiet e at the end: c-au-se.
Idioms and Phrases
- a lost cause: something that has no chance of succeeding. Example: "Trying to keep the puppy off the sofa is a lost cause."
Usage Examples
Example 1: Doctors are still looking for the cause of her headaches.
Example 2: The students raised money for a good cause: a library for a village school.
Example 3: There is no cause to worry; the bus is only ten minutes late.
Fun Fact
Because began as two words, by cause, meaning for the reason that. Over time they joined into one.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
Heavy rain was the main cuase of the landslide that blocked the highway to Shimla for three days.
a) heavy
b) landslide
c) cuase
d) highway
Show answer
c) cuase. The vowels go a then u, as in because.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word cause as used in the sentence:
Scientists studied the cause of the forest fire for many months.
a) effect
b) origin
c) reason
d) source
Show answer
a) effect. A cause comes first and an effect follows from it, so effect is the opposite here.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. exhuast 2. lawnch 3. cause 4. sauser
a) to make someone very tired
b) to send off a rocket or start a project
c) a small curved plate for a cup
d) a reason why something happens
Show answer
d) a reason why something happens. Exhaust has au before st, saucer has a c, and launch is spelt with au.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which sentence uses cause as a verb?
a) The cause was unknown.
b) Find the cause first.
c) It is a worthy cause.
d) Loud music can cause headaches.
Show answer
d) Loud music can cause headaches.
2. Which word sounds exactly like cause?
a) caws
b) cost
c) case
d) cows
Show answer
a) caws
