Because is a conjunction. It is followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or noun equivalent. These words are often confused.
Can you use because and because of correctly? Test your understanding with this grammar exercise.
Fill in the blanks.
1. We cancelled the trip ........................... the rain.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun.
2. It was ............................... you that I got into trouble.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object.
3. We hurried indoors ........................... it started raining.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object
4. I was late ........................... I missed the train.
Here the conjunction because is followed by the clause 'I missed the train'. Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object
5. We couldn't work .............................. the power outage.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object. Here the noun phrase 'the power outage' is the object of the preposition 'because of.
6. I passed the test easily ........................... I had studied well.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object
7. She can't walk ........................... arthritis.
Because of is a preposition and as such it needs a noun or pronoun after it. Arthritis is a noun.
8. Hundreds of people lost their jobs .............................. recession.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object
9. He found working in China quite difficult ............................. he didn't understand Chinese.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object.
10. We couldn't understand him ........................... his accent.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object. Here the expression 'his accent' acts as the object of the preposition 'because of'.
11. She quit her job ............................... she wanted to spend more time with her children.
Before a clause, we use 'because'.
12. She ate only a salad ............................. she is a vegetarian.
Because is a conjunction. It should be followed by a clause. Because of is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or pronoun which acts as its object.
Answers
1. We cancelled the trip because of the rain.
2. It was because of you that I got into trouble.
3. We hurried indoors because it started raining.
4. I was late because I missed the train.
5. We couldn’t work because of the power outage.
6. I passed the test easily because I had studied well.
7. She can’t walk because of arthritis.
8. Hundreds of people lost their jobs because of recession.
9. He found working in China quite difficult because he didn’t understand Chinese.
10. We couldn’t understand him because of his accent.
11. She quit her job because she wanted to spend more time with her children.
12. She ate only a salad because she is a vegetarian.
