Clauses of Purpose, Reason, and Result: Unlocking the Secret to Clear, Precise English

Jan 25

When you're expressing why something happens, why you’re doing it, or what happens because of it, your sentences can get pretty complex—but they don’t need to be intimidating! With purpose, reason, and result clauses, you can elevate your communication and sound both sophisticated and clear at the same time.

Let’s break these down in a fun, approachable way. 🌟

1. Purpose Clauses: Doing It for a Reason

A purpose clause answers the question: Why?
It explains why something happens, why you're doing something, or why an action takes place. The key is that the action in the clause is meant to achieve something.

Structure: to + base verb or so that + subject + verb

Example 1:
"I’m studying to improve my English."
➡️ Why am I studying? To improve my English.

Example 2:
"He worked extra hours so that he could buy a new car."
➡️ Why did he work extra hours? To buy a new car.

In both examples, the purpose is clear: we do things for a goal, a specific outcome.

2. Reason Clauses: Explaining Why It Happens

A reason clause explains why something happens, or why someone does something. It’s like telling the cause behind an action. These clauses are often introduced by words like because, since, as, or due to.

Structure: because + subject + verb
Alternative: since + subject + verb or due to + noun

Example 1:
"I stayed home because I was tired."
➡️ Why did I stay home? Because I was tired. The reason for staying home is clearly connected to being tired.

Example 2:
"He didn't come to the meeting since he was sick."
➡️ Why didn’t he come? Because he was sick.

Example 3:
"The match was canceled due to the rain."
➡️ Why was the match canceled? Due to the rain.

You get the cause—a reason for an action or event—without any ambiguity.

3. Result Clauses: What Happens Because of Something

A result clause shows the consequence of something. It answers the question: What happens because of the action? These are often introduced with so or such.

Structure: so + adjective + that + subject + verb
Alternative: such + noun + that + subject + verb

Example 1:
"The weather was so cold that we stayed inside."
➡️ Result: Because the weather was so cold, we stayed inside.

Example 2:
"He is such a hard worker that he got promoted quickly."
➡️ Result: His hard work led to him getting promoted quickly.

4. A Fun Example: Combining All Three

Let’s spice things up and combine purpose, reason, and result in one example.

Example:
"I went to the gym to get fit (purpose), because I was feeling unhealthy (reason), so I could run a marathon next year (result)."

In this sentence, you’ve got:

Purpose: The reason I went to the gym—to get fit.
Reason: Why I felt the need to go—because I was feeling unhealthy.
Result: The outcome of my gym sessions—so I could run a marathon next year.

5. Why Should You Care?

Well, these clauses allow you to express yourself more clearly. Instead of just saying, "I went to the gym," you can dive deeper into your intentions and explanations. You’ll sound more sophisticated and detailed, which makes your language more engaging and effective.

For example:

Basic: "I’m working out."
Advanced: "I’m working out to get fit because I want to run a marathon next year, and so I can improve my health."

The second version is much clearer and more engaging, right?

6. Quick Tips for Using These Clauses:

Purpose Clauses: Use them when you're explaining why you’re doing something (goal-oriented).
Example: "She brought an umbrella to stay dry."
Reason Clauses: Use them when you’re explaining why something happened or why someone did something (cause).
Example: "He missed the meeting because he had a dentist appointment."
Result Clauses: Use them when you’re talking about the outcome of an action (consequence).
Example: "It was so cold that the river froze."

7. Putting It All Together

Let’s challenge you to mix and match purpose, reason, and result. Here’s a little exercise:

Exercise:
Create a sentence that contains:

A purpose clause explaining why you are doing something.
A reason clause explaining why something happened.
A result clause showing the consequence of an action.

Example:

"I went to bed early to feel refreshed (purpose), because I had a busy day at work (reason), so I could be ready for the important meeting the next morning (result)."