Because Of and Due To

Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To By Guest Author The saying too many cooks spoil the broth is spot on in the case of English language. Today, even native speakers make blunders in written and spoken English, being influenced by current trends. One such trend we are talking about is the misuse of due to and because of. Many are of the opinion that both of the pairs refer to the same thing, and that they can be used as synonyms. This is an absolute misconception. They cannot be used interchangeably because they do not belong to the same classification. When the classification is not the same, how can the usage be? Some native English speakers also claim that a sentence cannot be started with the pair because of. However, they are unable to demonstrate the reasons. In some cases, the sentence cannot be started with because of whereas in some cases it can. This is the sole purpose of this post. We will be discussing the legitimate reasons, usage and rules associated with both the word pairs. The Classification of The Word Groups In order to get a clear understanding of how to use both the word groups it is imperative to first know their classifications. Due to is an adjective, which means it can only modify pronouns and nouns according to the purest English grammar rules. Because of is an adverb, which means it can only modify verbs, adjectives and clauses, but not nouns and pronouns. The Explanation It is quite difficult to grasp the concept outrightly with just categorizing the two word groups. So, it is important to lay down a little explanation along with some examples for you to get a clearer idea. Here are some examples of the usage of both the word groups: His frustration was due to the mucked up windscreen. He was frustrated due to the mucked up windscreen. In general, both of the sentences may sound right to you, but they are not. Carefully look at the first sentence and apply the grammar rule of noun modification. The word his is a possessive noun and it is complementing the noun frustration, and was is there as a linking verb. Now, due to the mucked up windscreen itself is an adjectival prepositional phrase which is the complement or the reason being attached to the noun with the help of the linking verb was. Therefore, in this case the usage of due to is absolutely right because it is fulfilling the purpose of modifying the noun. Now, take a look at the second and apply the same rule there. The pair due to is not connecting nor complementing the noun because the possessive noun his has been changed to he, which is a pronoun. This way, he is not the possessive noun now has become the main subject of the sentence and a pronoun. The pair due to has nothing to modify here because the verb is now was frustrated and adjectives cannot modify verbs. Henceforth, to connect a reason or a compliment to this sentence the adverb because of should be attached with the reason to make it appropriate. The correct sentence would be: He was frustrated because of the mucked up windscreen. As you can see, the pair because of is now modifying the verb was frustrated, so this sentence is correct now. Use This Trick When in Doubt One trick you can use is to substitute due to with caused by. If the substitution does not work, then you probably shouldnt use due to there. For example: My low grade was due to lack of study. My low grade was caused by lack of study. The substitution works, so due to is being used correctly. Here is another example: I missed the class due to the rain. I missed the class caused by the rain. The substitution doesnt work here, so due to shouldnt be used there. The correct sentence would be: I missed the class because of the rain. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?15 Types of DocumentsParataxis and Hypotaxis