B2–C1 · QCAU · 40 patterns

Cause and reason questions

Trace a result back to its likely cause.

01 · How to use this set

Start from the communication job

Trace a result back to its likely cause.

Read the frame, try to complete your own sentence before opening an example, then compare the English structure with its German parallel. The point is retrieval and choice, not passive list reading.

02 · Representative patterns

Start with these reusable frames

A compact sample from the 40 patterns in this study set.

01What explains why [the team needs another day to decide]?What explains why the team needs another day to decide? The answer will help the team decide how to proceed. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [das Team einen weiteren Tag für die Entscheidung braucht]?02What explains why [the revised plan has not been shared yet]?What explains why the revised plan has not been shared yet? This point will be easier to discuss once the answer is clear. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [der überarbeitete Plan noch nicht geteilt wurde]?03What explains why [we should compare the two options]?What explains why we should compare the two options? The answer will clarify what should happen next. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [wir die beiden Optionen vergleichen sollten]?04What explains why [the client asked for more detail]?What explains why the client asked for more detail? Everyone can use the answer to prepare for the next meeting. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [der Kunde um mehr Details gebeten hat]?05What explains why [the pilot may continue next month]?What explains why the pilot may continue next month? The answer will help the team decide how to proceed. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [das Pilotprojekt im nächsten Monat weiterlaufen kann]?06What explains why [the data need another check]?What explains why the data need another check? This point will be easier to discuss once the answer is clear. · German parallel: Was erklärt, warum [die Daten noch einmal geprüft werden müssen]?

03 · Complete set

Browse every pattern

The canonical list follows below. Every pattern has a stable ID and its own page for examples, translation, and reuse.

01What explains why [the team needs another day to decide]?QSTQCAU001 · What explains why [the team needs another day to decide]? / Was erklärt, warum [das Team einen weiteren Tag für die Entscheidung braucht]?02What explains why [the revised plan has not been shared yet]?QSTQCAU002 · What explains why [the revised plan has not been shared yet]? / Was erklärt, warum [der überarbeitete Plan noch nicht geteilt wurde]?03What explains why [we should compare the two options]?QSTQCAU003 · What explains why [we should compare the two options]? / Was erklärt, warum [wir die beiden Optionen vergleichen sollten]?04What explains why [the client asked for more detail]?QSTQCAU004 · What explains why [the client asked for more detail]? / Was erklärt, warum [der Kunde um mehr Details gebeten hat]?05What explains why [the pilot may continue next month]?QSTQCAU005 · What explains why [the pilot may continue next month]? / Was erklärt, warum [das Pilotprojekt im nächsten Monat weiterlaufen kann]?06What explains why [the data need another check]?QSTQCAU006 · What explains why [the data need another check]? / Was erklärt, warum [die Daten noch einmal geprüft werden müssen]?07What explains why [the meeting was moved]?QSTQCAU007 · What explains why [the meeting was moved]? / Was erklärt, warum [die Sitzung verschoben wurde]?08What explains why [the colleagues prefer remote participation]?QSTQCAU008 · What explains why [the colleagues prefer remote participation]? / Was erklärt, warum [die Kolleginnen und Kollegen eine Teilnahme aus der Ferne bevorzugen]?09What explains why [the final decision is still open]?QSTQCAU009 · What explains why [the final decision is still open]? / Was erklärt, warum [die endgültige Entscheidung noch offen ist]?10What explains why [the proposal would need revision]?QSTQCAU010 · What explains why [the proposal would need revision]? / Was erklärt, warum [der Vorschlag überarbeitet werden müsste]?11Which factor matters most if [the team needs another day to decide]?QSTQCAU011 · Which factor matters most if [the team needs another day to decide]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [das Team einen weiteren Tag für die Entscheidung braucht]?12Which factor matters most if [the revised plan has not been shared yet]?QSTQCAU012 · Which factor matters most if [the revised plan has not been shared yet]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [der überarbeitete Plan noch nicht geteilt wurde]?13Which factor matters most if [we should compare the two options]?QSTQCAU013 · Which factor matters most if [we should compare the two options]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [wir die beiden Optionen vergleichen sollten]?14Which factor matters most if [the client asked for more detail]?QSTQCAU014 · Which factor matters most if [the client asked for more detail]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [der Kunde um mehr Details gebeten hat]?15Which factor matters most if [the pilot may continue next month]?QSTQCAU015 · Which factor matters most if [the pilot may continue next month]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [das Pilotprojekt im nächsten Monat weiterlaufen kann]?16Which factor matters most if [the data need another check]?QSTQCAU016 · Which factor matters most if [the data need another check]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [die Daten noch einmal geprüft werden müssen]?17Which factor matters most if [the meeting was moved]?QSTQCAU017 · Which factor matters most if [the meeting was moved]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [die Sitzung verschoben wurde]?18Which factor matters most if [the colleagues prefer remote participation]?QSTQCAU018 · Which factor matters most if [the colleagues prefer remote participation]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [die Kolleginnen und Kollegen eine Teilnahme aus der Ferne bevorzugen]?19Which factor matters most if [the final decision is still open]?QSTQCAU019 · Which factor matters most if [the final decision is still open]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [die endgültige Entscheidung noch offen ist]?20Which factor matters most if [the proposal would need revision]?QSTQCAU020 · Which factor matters most if [the proposal would need revision]? / Welcher Faktor ist am wichtigsten, wenn [der Vorschlag überarbeitet werden müsste]?21How did it happen that [the team needs another day to decide]?QSTQCAU021 · How did it happen that [the team needs another day to decide]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [das Team einen weiteren Tag für die Entscheidung braucht]?22How did it happen that [the revised plan has not been shared yet]?QSTQCAU022 · How did it happen that [the revised plan has not been shared yet]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [der überarbeitete Plan noch nicht geteilt wurde]?23How did it happen that [we should compare the two options]?QSTQCAU023 · How did it happen that [we should compare the two options]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [wir die beiden Optionen vergleichen sollten]?24How did it happen that [the client asked for more detail]?QSTQCAU024 · How did it happen that [the client asked for more detail]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [der Kunde um mehr Details gebeten hat]?25How did it happen that [the pilot may continue next month]?QSTQCAU025 · How did it happen that [the pilot may continue next month]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [das Pilotprojekt im nächsten Monat weiterlaufen kann]?26How did it happen that [the data need another check]?QSTQCAU026 · How did it happen that [the data need another check]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [die Daten noch einmal geprüft werden müssen]?27How did it happen that [the meeting was moved]?QSTQCAU027 · How did it happen that [the meeting was moved]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [die Sitzung verschoben wurde]?28How did it happen that [the colleagues prefer remote participation]?QSTQCAU028 · How did it happen that [the colleagues prefer remote participation]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [die Kolleginnen und Kollegen eine Teilnahme aus der Ferne bevorzugen]?29How did it happen that [the final decision is still open]?QSTQCAU029 · How did it happen that [the final decision is still open]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [die endgültige Entscheidung noch offen ist]?30How did it happen that [the proposal would need revision]?QSTQCAU030 · How did it happen that [the proposal would need revision]? / Wie kam es dazu, dass [der Vorschlag überarbeitet werden müsste]?31What consequence follows from the fact that [the team needs another day to decide]?QSTQCAU031 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the team needs another day to decide]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [das Team einen weiteren Tag für die Entscheidung braucht]?32What consequence follows from the fact that [the revised plan has not been shared yet]?QSTQCAU032 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the revised plan has not been shared yet]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [der überarbeitete Plan noch nicht geteilt wurde]?33What consequence follows from the fact that [we should compare the two options]?QSTQCAU033 · What consequence follows from the fact that [we should compare the two options]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [wir die beiden Optionen vergleichen sollten]?34What consequence follows from the fact that [the client asked for more detail]?QSTQCAU034 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the client asked for more detail]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [der Kunde um mehr Details gebeten hat]?35What consequence follows from the fact that [the pilot may continue next month]?QSTQCAU035 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the pilot may continue next month]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [das Pilotprojekt im nächsten Monat weiterlaufen kann]?36What consequence follows from the fact that [the data need another check]?QSTQCAU036 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the data need another check]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [die Daten noch einmal geprüft werden müssen]?37What consequence follows from the fact that [the meeting was moved]?QSTQCAU037 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the meeting was moved]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [die Sitzung verschoben wurde]?38What consequence follows from the fact that [the colleagues prefer remote participation]?QSTQCAU038 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the colleagues prefer remote participation]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [die Kolleginnen und Kollegen eine Teilnahme aus der Ferne bevorzugen]?39What consequence follows from the fact that [the final decision is still open]?QSTQCAU039 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the final decision is still open]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [die endgültige Entscheidung noch offen ist]?40What consequence follows from the fact that [the proposal would need revision]?QSTQCAU040 · What consequence follows from the fact that [the proposal would need revision]? / Welche Folge ergibt sich daraus, dass [der Vorschlag überarbeitet werden müsste]?

01Purpose questionsAsk what an action is meant to achieve.02Time questionsPlace an action, answer or decision on a timeline.03Place and setting questionsChoose the right place or setting for the next step.04People and responsibility questionsIdentify who can act, decide or approve.