Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Explaining Reasons And Consequences
15 questions · exam conditions
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Explaining Reasons And ConsequencesQuestion 1 of 15

Eating too much sugar can   weight gain.

result from
happen to
come from
result in
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Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate Quiz: Explaining Reasons And Consequences

Practice Explaining Reasons And Consequences in Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Explaining Reasons And Consequences, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Intermediate.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Eating too much sugar can   weight gain.

  1. result from
  2. happen to
  3. come from
  4. result in (correct answer)
Explanation: Eating too much sugar can cause weight gain, so you need a phrase that means "lead to" or "cause." That phrase is "result in." The tempting wrong choice is "result from," which reverses the cause and effect: weight gain results from eating too much sugar, not the other way around.

Question 2

The storm knocked down trees;  , the roads were blocked.

  1. in contrast
  2. for example
  3. as a result (correct answer)
  4. otherwise
Explanation: The storm damage is the cause, and the blocked roads are the effect, so the blank needs a phrase showing consequence. "As a result" makes that cause-and-effect connection clear. The most tempting wrong answer is "in contrast," which would wrongly suggest the roads were blocked despite the trees rather than because of them.

Question 3

The class was cancelled   the teacher's illness.

  1. so that
  2. because of (correct answer)
  3. because
  4. even though
Explanation: The blank is followed by a noun phrase, the teacher's illness, so you need a reason phrase that works before a noun. Because of introduces the cause correctly. Because is tempting, but it must be followed by a full clause with a subject and verb, not just a noun phrase.

Question 4

The new medicine had a strange   on her.

  1. effect (correct answer)
  2. affect
  3. reason
  4. cause
Explanation: The medicine caused a change in her, and that changed result is an 'effect.' 'Affect' is the tempting wrong answer because it sounds similar, but it is normally a verb meaning to influence; here you need a noun after 'a strange  '.

Question 5

Traffic is bad. I suggest   the train.

  1. take
  2. to take
  3. taking (correct answer)
  4. taken
Explanation: After the verb suggest, use a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive or base verb. So you should say "I suggest taking the train." The most tempting wrong choice is "to take," because many verbs pair with an infinitive, but suggest does not.

Question 6

Maria works at a bakery. Last week, she forgot to order more flour, so the bakery ran out of bread by noon every day. Her manager told her that if supplies run out again, the bakery will lose customers and may have to reduce staff hours.

Which sentence best explains the consequence of Maria's mistake, as described in the passage?

  1. Because Maria forgot to order flour, the bakery may lose customers and reduce staff hours as a result of repeated shortages. (correct answer)
  2. Although Maria forgot to order flour, the bakery still managed to serve most customers before the shortage became a serious problem.
  3. Since the bakery runs out of bread early, Maria should order flour more often so that supplies last throughout the entire week.
  4. If Maria orders flour on time, the bakery will have enough bread, which means customers will return and staff hours will increase.
Explanation: When a question asks about a consequence, it's asking: What happened as a result of something else? You need to find the answer that accurately reflects the cause-and-effect chain described in the passage — nothing more, nothing less. The passage tells you two things: Maria forgot to order flour (the mistake), and her manager warned that repeated shortages could cause the bakery to lose customers and reduce staff hours (the consequence). Answer A captures this perfectly. It directly links Maria's forgotten order to those specific outcomes using cause-and-effect language ("because... as a result"), and it correctly notes the shortages must happen again for the consequences to follow — which matches the manager's warning. B is wrong because it contradicts the passage. The passage never says customers were "mostly served" or that the problem wasn't serious — in fact, the manager's warning suggests it is serious. This choice minimizes the problem instead of explaining its consequence. C shifts from describing a consequence to giving a recommendation ("Maria should order flour more often"). The question asks what did happen as a result, not what should happen going forward. This is a common trap: advice and consequences are different things. D is also a trap because it describes a positive future scenario — what will happen if Maria does things correctly. But the question asks about the consequence of her mistake, not a hypothetical success. Study tip: When you see the word consequence in a question, look for the answer that describes an outcome caused by a specific action already described in the passage — not advice, not contradictions, and not hypothetical improvements.

Question 7

James has been sleeping only four hours a night for two weeks because he works a night shift and also takes morning classes. He has started making errors at work, and his supervisor warned him that continued mistakes could lead to termination.

James's classmate wants to make a suggestion that addresses the root cause of his problems, not just the symptoms. Which suggestion is most appropriate?

  1. You should try to be more careful at work so that you stop making errors and avoid losing your job.
  2. You might want to speak with your supervisor and explain that you are tired so they understand your situation better.
  3. You could consider adjusting your schedule — perhaps switching to evening classes — so that you can get enough sleep each night. (correct answer)
  4. You should drink more coffee during your shift so that you stay alert and avoid making the kinds of errors your supervisor noticed.
Explanation: When a question asks you to address the root cause of a problem, you need to look past the visible symptoms and identify why the problem is happening in the first place. Here, James's errors at work and his job risk are symptoms — the root cause is that he is only sleeping four hours a night due to a scheduling conflict between his night shift and morning classes. Choice C is correct because it targets that scheduling conflict directly. By switching to evening classes, James could sleep after his night shift instead of skipping sleep to attend morning classes. This removes the source of his sleep deprivation, which is what causes everything else to go wrong. Choice A tells James to "be more careful," but this ignores why he is making errors — exhaustion. You cannot simply concentrate harder when you are severely sleep-deprived. This only addresses a symptom. Choice B suggests explaining his situation to his supervisor, which may be helpful socially but does nothing to solve the sleep problem itself. His supervisor understanding the situation does not give James more sleep. Choice D recommends drinking coffee, which is a temporary coping strategy, not a solution. Caffeine can mask tiredness briefly but does not replace sleep or fix the schedule conflict causing it. A useful strategy: whenever you see the phrase "root cause" in a question, mentally ask yourself, "What is the original source of this problem?" Answers that patch symptoms — like trying harder, explaining yourself, or using stimulants — will almost never be the correct choice when root cause is specified.

Question 8

An instructor wants to warn a student about a future consequence without making a direct suggestion. Which sentence best accomplishes this?

  1. If you continue to submit assignments late, you will lose five points for each late day, which may lower your final grade significantly. (correct answer)
  2. You should submit your assignments on time so that you do not lose points and can maintain a good grade in this course.
  3. Because you have been submitting assignments late, you have already lost several points on your current grade this semester.
  4. Many students submit assignments late and end up with lower grades, so it is important to manage your time more carefully.
Explanation: When a question asks you to identify a sentence that warns about a future consequence without making a direct suggestion, focus on two things: verb tense (is the consequence in the future?) and tone (is the speaker recommending something, or simply stating what will happen?). Choice A accomplishes both goals perfectly. It uses a conditional structure — "If you continue... you will lose..." — which describes what will happen as a natural result of the student's behavior. There is no command or recommendation. The instructor is simply presenting the consequence as factual and future-oriented, which allows the student to draw their own conclusions. This is exactly what the question asks for, making A the correct answer. Choice B fails because it includes the word "should," which is a direct suggestion or recommendation. The instructor is telling the student what to do, not just warning them of consequences. Choice C is in the wrong time frame entirely. It uses past tense ("have been submitting," "have already lost") to describe something that has already happened, not a future consequence. It is an observation about the present situation, not a warning about what comes next. Choice D mentions future outcomes but frames them as something that happens to "many students" — a general observation rather than a personal warning directed at this specific student. It also ends with a suggestion ("manage your time more carefully"), which crosses into direct advice. Strategy tip: When a question involves warnings versus suggestions, look for modal verbs like should, must, or need to — these signal suggestions. A true warning about future consequences typically uses will or may in a conditional structure.

Question 9

A friend says: 'Even though I exercise every day, I still feel tired all the time.' You want to respond with a suggestion that includes a reason for why the suggestion might help. Which response best accomplishes both goals?

  1. That sounds really difficult. You should probably talk to a doctor, since most people who exercise daily should not feel tired at all.
  2. A lot of people feel tired even when they exercise regularly, so this is probably normal and not something you need to worry about right now.
  3. If you keep feeling this way, you will probably need to see a doctor, because constant tiredness despite exercise can signal a health problem.
  4. You might try going to bed an hour earlier each night, since getting more sleep could help your body recover from exercise and reduce fatigue. (correct answer)
Explanation: When a question asks you to find a response that includes both a suggestion and a reason, treat it like a checklist: the correct answer must clearly do two things — tell someone what to do and explain why it helps. If either piece is missing or weak, the answer fails. Answer D accomplishes both goals directly. "You might try going to bed an hour earlier each night" is the concrete suggestion, and "since getting more sleep could help your body recover from exercise and reduce fatigue" is the clear reason tied to the friend's specific situation. The language is also appropriately friendly and supportive — not alarming. Answer A contains a suggestion (talk to a doctor), but the reasoning is flawed and unhelpful: saying people who exercise "should not feel tired at all" is factually incorrect and could make your friend feel abnormal or alarmed unnecessarily. It gives a bad reason, not a good one. Answer B offers no suggestion at all — it simply reassures your friend that tiredness is normal and dismisses the concern. While empathy is valuable in conversation, this response fails to meet the task of suggesting something actionable. Answer C sounds similar to D at first glance, but notice it is conditional and focused on future doctor visits rather than an immediate, practical suggestion. It also leans more toward warning than helping, and it doesn't give your friend anything useful to do right now. A helpful study tip: on communication questions like this, underline the key verbs in the task — here, "suggestion" and "reason." Then scan each answer specifically for those two elements before choosing.

Question 10

Notice posted at a health clinic: 'Patients who miss two or more appointments without calling ahead will be removed from our scheduling system. This policy exists because our staff cannot plan effectively when appointments are missed without notice. We recommend that patients call at least 24 hours in advance to cancel or reschedule.'

A patient reads the notice and tells a friend: 'The clinic made this rule because they want more money from patients who cancel.' Which statement best explains why this interpretation is incorrect?

  1. The patient misread the notice; it says patients will be removed from the system, not charged a fee, so money is not mentioned anywhere.
  2. The patient confused the consequence (removal from the system) with the reason, and also invented a financial motive not stated in the notice. (correct answer)
  3. The patient ignored the suggestion in the notice and focused only on the consequence, which led them to misunderstand the clinic's true intention.
  4. The patient's interpretation is partially correct because clinics generally lose money when patients miss appointments, even if this notice does not say so.
Explanation: When reading comprehension questions ask you to evaluate someone's interpretation of a text, your job is to compare what the text actually says against what the person claims it means. Look for two types of errors: ignoring what is stated and adding information that isn't there. The notice gives a clear reason for the policy: missed appointments prevent staff from planning effectively. That's the stated motive — organizational, not financial. The patient, however, claims the clinic wants "more money," a motive that appears nowhere in the notice. The patient also confuses why the rule exists with what happens because of it. These are two separate errors, and B captures both precisely: the patient mixed up the consequence (removal from the system) with the reason, and invented a financial motive from thin air. That double identification is what makes B the strongest answer. Choice A is partially true — money isn't mentioned — but it only addresses one problem and misses the deeper issue of the invented motive and the confused reasoning. A also implies the patient simply "misread," which undersells the actual logical errors made. Choice C focuses on the patient ignoring the recommendation to call ahead, but that's not what caused the misinterpretation; the patient's error was about motive, not the cancellation suggestion. Choice D is a trap — it asks you to accept outside knowledge ("clinics generally lose money") as a reason to partially validate the patient's claim, but reading comprehension questions require you to judge interpretations based only on what the text says, not general assumptions. Your strategy: when evaluating an interpretation, ask two questions — Is the reason correct? and Is anything being added or invented? Both matter.

Question 11

A community center sent this notice: 'Due to low enrollment, the Tuesday evening cooking class has been cancelled. Students who registered will receive a full refund. We encourage participants to sign up for the Thursday afternoon session, which still has openings.'

Which statement most accurately describes how the notice uses language of reasons, consequences, and suggestions together?

  1. The notice gives a reason for the cancellation, states a consequence for registered students, and makes a suggestion for an alternative option. (correct answer)
  2. The notice makes a suggestion about enrollment, states a consequence for the cooking class, and gives a reason for the refund policy.
  3. The notice gives a reason for the refund, states a consequence of low enrollment, and suggests that students improve their attendance.
  4. The notice states a consequence of the cancellation, gives a reason why Thursday is better, and suggests students contact the center for more details.
Explanation: When a notice or announcement contains multiple types of language — reasons, consequences, and suggestions — your job is to match each piece of the text to the correct function. Ask yourself: Why did something happen? What happened as a result? What is the reader being told to do? In this notice, the phrase "due to low enrollment" signals a reason — it explains why the class was cancelled. The statement that registered students "will receive a full refund" is a consequence — it describes what happens as a result of the cancellation. Finally, "We encourage participants to sign up for the Thursday afternoon session" is clearly a suggestion — it recommends an action without requiring it. Answer A correctly identifies all three elements in the right order, making it the most accurate description. Answer B scrambles the functions entirely. The notice doesn't make a suggestion about enrollment — low enrollment is the reason given, not a suggestion. Answer C misidentifies the reason; the refund is a consequence, not something that has its own separate reason explained in the text. It also misreads the suggestion, since the notice encourages signing up for Thursday — not improving attendance. Answer D incorrectly labels the consequence as coming from the cancellation and then invents content: the notice never explains why Thursday is better, nor does it tell students to contact the center for more details. A useful strategy: when a question asks you to identify multiple language functions together, go sentence by sentence and label each one — reason, consequence, or suggestion — before looking at the answer choices. This prevents the distractors from confusing your reading.

Question 12

Conversation between two coworkers: Ana: 'I've been getting headaches every afternoon at work.' Ben: 'Have you been drinking enough water? Dehydration can cause headaches, especially in a warm office. You might want to keep a water bottle at your desk and drink at least eight glasses a day.'

In Ben's response, which part functions as a reason rather than a suggestion or consequence?

  1. 'You might want to keep a water bottle at your desk and drink at least eight glasses a day.'
  2. 'Have you been drinking enough water?' — Ben's opening question to Ana.
  3. 'Dehydration can cause headaches, especially in a warm office.' (correct answer)
  4. 'You might want to keep a water bottle at your desk' — the first part of Ben's recommendation.
Explanation: When analyzing a conversation or argument, it helps to sort sentences into three roles: reasons (explaining why something happens), suggestions (recommending what to do), and consequences (explaining what will result). This question asks you to identify the reason in Ben's response. A reason explains a cause — it tells you why something is true or why something happens. Look at choice C: "Dehydration can cause headaches, especially in a warm office." This sentence explains the cause of Ana's headaches. It answers the question "Why might she be getting headaches?" That makes it a reason, and it is the correct answer. Now look at why the other choices don't fit. Choice A — "You might want to keep a water bottle at your desk and drink at least eight glasses a day" — uses the phrase "you might want to," which is classic suggestion language. It tells Ana what to do, not why something happens. Choice B — "Have you been drinking enough water?" — is a question, not a reason. Ben uses it to prompt Ana to think, which makes it a conversational opener or a leading question, not an explanation. Choice D is simply the first half of choice A. It is still a suggestion, not a reason — pulling out part of a sentence doesn't change its function. A useful tip: watch for cause-and-effect language like "can cause," "leads to," or "because" — these signal reasons. Words like "you should," "try," or "you might want to" signal suggestions. Training yourself to spot these signal words will help you on many reading comprehension questions.

Question 13

A student tells her tutor: 'I missed three classes, and now I don't understand the new grammar rules. My quiz grade was very low.' Her tutor wants to respond by explaining the reason for her low grade without making a suggestion. Which response is most appropriate?

  1. You should attend every class from now on so that you can learn the grammar rules before the next quiz.
  2. Your low grade was likely due to the fact that missing three classes left you without the grammar instruction you needed. (correct answer)
  3. If you study the grammar rules tonight, you might be able to improve your grade on the next quiz significantly.
  4. As a result of your low grade, you will need to work harder and attend more classes going forward this semester.
Explanation: When a question asks you to identify a specific communicative function — in this case, explaining a reason rather than making a suggestion — your job is to look carefully at what each response is actually doing grammatically and logically. The tutor's goal is to explain why the grade was low, nothing more. Answer B does exactly this: it uses cause-and-effect language ("was likely due to the fact that") to connect missing class with losing access to grammar instruction, which led to the low grade. It describes a reason without telling the student what to do next. This is the correct answer. Answer A fails because it opens with "You should," which is a clear recommendation — the tutor is advising future behavior, not explaining a past cause. Answer C is also a suggestion disguised as possibility: "If you study... you might improve" points toward a future action the student could take, not a reason for what already happened. Answer D is perhaps the trickiest distractor — it begins with "as a result of your low grade," which sounds like cause-and-effect language, but it actually gets the logic backwards. The low grade is treated as a cause of future effort, rather than being explained as an effect of missing class. That's a logical reversal, not an explanation of why the grade was low. Study tip: On questions testing communicative function, underline the task word — here, "explaining the reason." Then scan each answer for signal phrases: suggestions often contain should, might, or if/then structures, while explanations use because, due to, or as a result of pointing to past causes.

Question 14

A student writes: 'I didn't study,   I failed the test.   I fail the final exam, I will have to repeat the course.' Which pair of words or phrases correctly completes both blanks to show consequence in both sentences?

  1. because / If
  2. so / If (correct answer)
  3. because / Unless
  4. so / Although
Explanation: When a question asks you to show consequence, you need connectors that express a result or outcome. The key is understanding the difference between connectors that show cause versus result, and those that show condition versus contrast. In the first sentence, "I didn't study" is the cause, and the blank introduces the result. The word "so" works perfectly here — "I didn't study, so I failed the test" — meaning the failure happened as a result of not studying. In the second sentence, "If I fail the final exam" introduces a conditional consequence: failing leads to repeating the course. This makes B (so / If) the correct answer, as both blanks correctly signal consequence relationships. Choice A is wrong because "because" in the first blank shows cause, not consequence — it would mean the failing explains the studying, which reverses the logic. "If" for the second blank would actually work, but since the first blank is wrong, the whole pair fails. Choice C pairs "because" with "Unless," which compounds the error — "unless" means except if, introducing a negative condition that contradicts the straightforward consequence being described. Choice D uses "so" correctly for the first blank, but "Although" signals contrast ("even though"), not consequence — it would imply the student might fail despite something positive, which doesn't match the meaning. A useful tip: when you see a cause-and-effect sentence, ask yourself — which side is the result? If the result comes after the blank, use "so." If the result is a future possibility depending on a condition, use "If."

Question 15

Read the following four sentences. Which one uses language that most clearly expresses a reason, rather than a consequence, suggestion, or simple fact?

  1. The roads were icy, so many drivers arrived late to work that morning.
  2. You should leave earlier tomorrow in case the roads are still icy and dangerous.
  3. Many drivers arrived late to work because the roads were icy and conditions were dangerous. (correct answer)
  4. As a result of arriving late, several employees missed the morning meeting and had to be updated afterward.
Explanation: When a question asks you to identify a reason, you're looking for language that explains why something happened — not what happened next, what someone should do, or simply what occurred. The key signal words are conjunctions and prepositions like because, since, due to, and as a result of — but be careful, because some of these introduce consequences rather than reasons. Choice C is correct because it uses the word because to directly link a cause (icy, dangerous roads) to an effect (drivers arriving late). The clause introduced by because answers the question "Why did drivers arrive late?" — that is the definition of expressing a reason. The structure is clear: result first, reason second, connected by because. Choice A uses so, which works in the opposite direction — it introduces a consequence, not a reason. The icy roads are mentioned, but the sentence moves forward to what happened as a result, making it a cause-and-effect statement rather than a reason explanation. Choice B uses should and in case, which signal a suggestion and a precaution about a possible future situation — not a reason for something that already happened. Choice D begins with as a result of, which again signals a consequence: it tells you what followed from arriving late, not why anything happened. A useful tip: train yourself to ask, "Does this sentence answer why?" If yes, look for because, since, or due to introducing that answer. If the sentence answers what happened next or what to do, it's expressing a consequence or suggestion instead.