What are Result Clauses in English Grammar?

Result clauses are a specific type of subordinate clause that provide information about the result or consequence of an action or situation. They help us understand the reason behind something happening and later on literacy skills. Result clauses are introduced by conjunctions such as “so,” “so… that,” and “such… that.”

A result clause typically follows an independent clause and provides additional information about the outcome or result of the action described in the independent clause. By using result clauses, we can effectively explain why something happened.

Examples of Result Clauses

Here are some examples of result clauses using different conjunctions: Using ‘so’ as the conjunction:

• There was a power cut, so we had to light a few candles. (The result is that we had to light candles due to the power cut.)
• My friend loves comic books, so I bought her one for her birthday. (The result is that I bought her a comic book because she loves them.)
• The dog jumped into a muddy puddle, so we had to give him a bath. (The result is that we had to give the dog a bath because he jumped into a muddy puddle.)
• It started raining, so we ran back inside for an umbrella. (The result is that we ran inside for an umbrella because it started raining.)
• There’s not much time left, so we had better hurry. (The result is that we need to hurry because there is not much time remaining.)

Using ‘so… that’ as the conjunction:

• There are so many languages to learn, that I don’t know where to start. (The result is that I feel overwhelmed because there are many languages to learn.)
• There are so many ways, that you can answer that question. (The result is that there are numerous ways to answer the question.)
• There are so many recipes, that you can try out over the holidays. (The result is that there are numerous recipes to try during the holidays.)
• There were so few people queueing up, that you could slip right through. (The result is that there were very few people in line, making it easy to slip through.)
• There are so few hours in the day, that I can’t do everything I want to do. (The result is that there are limited hours in the day, preventing me from doing everything I desire.)

Using ‘such… that’ as the conjunction:

• The present was such a surprise, that she gasped. (The result is that she gasped because the present was a big surprise.)
• The flood caused such a panic, that everyone had to evacuate. (The result is that everyone had to evacuate due to the panic caused by the flood.)
• The girl was in such a frenzy, that it was hard to calm her down. (The result is that it was difficult to calm the girl down because she was in a frenzied state.)
• There was such a lot to learn, that he wasn’t sure if he could do it all. (The result is that he felt unsure about his ability to learn everything because there was a lot to learn.)
• It was such a puzzling situation, that she was confused about what to do next. (The result is that she felt confused about her next steps because the situation was puzzling.)

Other Ways to Write Result Clauses

In addition to the aforementioned conjunctions, there are other common ways to express result clauses in English grammar. Two such phrases are “as a result” and “with the result that.”

• I practiced for a few extra hours, and as a result, I felt much more prepared. (The result of my extra practice was that I felt more prepared.)
• I practiced for a few extra hours, with the result that, I felt much more prepared. (The outcome of my additional practice was that I felt more prepared.)

When using “as a result,” it is important to connect the clauses with a coordinating conjunction. If you only use a comma without a conjunction, it creates a comma splice. However, you can also use the informal version of “as a result,” which is simply “resulting.”

• I practiced for a few extra hours, resulting in me feeling much more prepared. (The result of practicing for extra hours was that I felt more prepared.)

Using ‘therefore,’ ‘thus,’ ‘consequently,’ etc.

There are additional words and phrases that can be used to express result clauses in English grammar, such as “therefore,” “thus,” “consequently,” “in consequence,” and “for this/that reason.” These words and phrases are generally considered more formal and are commonly used in formal writing. When using these words and phrases, they follow the same pattern as the previous result clauses. Here are some examples:

• I have a cold and therefore, I should stay at home. (The result is that I should stay at home because I have a cold.)
• My parents both have brown eyes and thus, I do too. (The result is that I have brown eyes because both of my parents have them.)
• I missed the bus and consequently, I was late for school. (The result is that I was late for school because I missed the bus.)
• I ate my dinner too fast and in consequence, I got a stomach ache. (The result is that I got a stomach ache as a consequence of eating too fast.)
• I want to go to the zoo and for this reason, I’m going to save up my pocket money. (The result is that I will save up my pocket money because I want to go to the zoo.)

Teaching Result Clauses

If you’re teaching result clauses to your students, you may find the teacher-made resources mentioned in the guide useful. These resources can assist in teaching your students which conjunctions to use in result clauses and can save you time when it comes to lesson planning and preparation. These resources are designed specifically for teachers and can provide valuable support in teaching result clauses effectively.