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Cause and effect Many of the phrasal verbs in this unit are usually used in quite formal contexts. Using these phrasal verbs will help you to improve your style when writing formal correspondence, giving presentations and writing reports and essays. Look at these formal letters to the editor of a newspaper and note the phrasal verbs connected with cause and effect. 1
Reply
make it seem likely that something is true
Forward
2
thought to be caused by (used for problems and bad experiences)
Dear Sir/Madam, Recent events in Herean City point to1 a failure of central government to control spending by local and regional authorities. This failure can be put down to2 a long-standing reluctance to tackle local corruption, which has resulted in a situation where certain powerful local politicians feel free to act outside the law. This then contributes to a general atmosphere in which all politicians are mistrusted. Yours sincerely, G. Johnson (Ms)
Reply
Forward
3
(slightly informal) constitute a reasonable or likely explanation for something
Dear Sir/Madam, Arthur Power’s explanation for the growth of crime in our cities just does not add up3. He attributes recent rises in crime to a decline in leisure facilities for young people and the economic recession. But the problem in fact stems from4 a longer-term neglect of the cities, and dealing with the problem depends on accepting this fact first and foremost. We have been talking about rising crime rates for decades and after the last general election the government set up an inquiry into inner-city crime, but as yet nothing seems to have come out of 5 this enquiry.
4
is caused by
5
if something comes out of a process or an event, it is one of the results
Sincerely, A. H. Lowe 6
Reply
Forward
Dear Sir/Madam No one should be surprised that the recent education reforms have rebounded on6 the government. The reforms were rooted in7 a deep-seated elitism, which accounts for8 the fact that inequality has grown rather than diminished, as your report showed (13 November). As always, the effects have impacted most on9 poorer families, where the new system has led to parents being unable to afford a good education for their children. It all adds up to10 more misery in our schools and fewer opportunities for our young people, especially in the inner cities.
had a bad effect on the person who did it with the result that they did not achieve what they were trying to achieve
7
based on, or caused by
8
explains the reason for
9
had a noticeable effect on
10
results in
Yours sincerely, D. Mitchell (Prof.)
Tip Always make a note in your notebook if a phrasal verb is formal or informal. 38
English Phrasal Verbs in Use Advanced
