B2–C1 · 5 patterns

English patterns for causal diagnosis and root-cause reasoning

Separate triggers from causes, compare competing mechanisms, and make causal chains explicit without treating timing as proof.

01 · Use it when you need to

Communication goals

01
separate a trigger from an underlying cause
02
compare two plausible causal mechanisms
03
state whether a factor is necessary or sufficient
04
identify what changed before an outcome

02 · Study sets

Study the topic from these validated sets

01Causal diagnosisSeparate triggers from causes, compare mechanisms, and diagnose causal structure without treating sequence as proof. · CDG

03 · Pattern examples

Start with a reusable structure

This is an editorial sample. The linked study sets contain the complete topic collection.

01[X] may have triggered [Y], but that does not make it the underlying cause.The release may have triggered the incident, but that does not make it the underlying cause. · DE: Das Release kann den Vorfall ausgelöst haben, ist damit aber nicht automatisch die zugrunde liegende Ursache.02If [X] were the main cause, we would expect [Y]; if [Z] were, we would expect [W].If load were the main cause, we would expect failures across regions; if mapping were, we would expect them around the same field. · DE: Wenn die Last die Hauptursache wäre, würden wir Ausfälle über mehrere Regionen erwarten; wenn es das Mapping wäre, würden wir sie beim selben Feld erwarten.03The link from [X] to [Y] only makes sense if [Z] happens in between.The link from missing ownership to slower resolution only makes sense if decisions are delayed in between. · DE: Der Zusammenhang zwischen fehlender Verantwortung und langsamerer Lösung ergibt nur Sinn, wenn Entscheidungen dazwischen verzögert werden.04[X] may be necessary for [Y], but it is not sufficient on its own.Access may be necessary for adoption, but it is not sufficient on its own. · DE: Zugang kann für die Einführung notwendig sein, ist allein aber nicht hinreichend.05What changed before [X], and what stayed the same?What changed before the failure rate increased, and what stayed the same? · DE: Was hat sich verändert, bevor die Fehlerquote gestiegen ist, und was ist gleich geblieben?

04 · Related paths

Continue by communication goal

01Thinking with language: framing, uncertainty, systems, and decisionsUse reusable language to frame problems, separate evidence from assumptions, trace system effects, and make clearer decisions under uncertainty.02Argumentation and evidenceBuild claims, connect them to evidence, and explain causes and consequences with reusable B2–C1 sentence patterns.03Problem-solving, risk, and precautionsFrame a problem around an actionable response, name uncertainty, and choose safeguards that match the actual level of risk.