http://www2.elc.polyu.edu.hk/CILL/exercises/because.

htm

Because or Due to
Aim: This page will help you to decide when to use Because (of) and when to use Due to (the fact that).

1. Introduction: expressing cause and effect

In English the expression of cause and effect involves the use of a number of grammatical structures. Some of these are used inaccurately by Hong Kong learners. and because of and of Due to and Due to the fact that It is important when using these structures to differentiate those that are followed by a noun phrase use very often results from failure to recognize this difference.

These expressions include the proper use of Because

and those that are followed by a main clause. Incorrect

Definitions:
Clause: a clause is a subject noun or noun phrase followed by a verb or verb phrase; e.g. 'grammar' is a
1

noun, 'some very easy grammar' is a noun phrase, 'is' is a verb, and 'has been' is a verb phrase. Noun phrase: a noun, or a noun with an article or determiner, and/or an adjective in front of it, and sometimes with a relative clause after it; e.g. apple (noun), some apples (determiner and noun), some red apples (determiner, adjective and noun), some red noun and relative clause). apples which I am going to eat (determiner, adjective,

2. Grammatical analysis and explanation

The following sentences correctly use Due to and Due to the fact that:

1. The problem was due to a shortage of high court judges.

2. Due to overcrowding last year, the competition 3. Due to a delay in Lanzhou, the flight was unable 4. Shell said the cuts were due to a general easing 5. Some liberals also expressed worry that the impact of the motion would be reduced due to the democratization. It can be seen that due to is followed by a noun phrase in all of the examples above. [It may NOT be *Due to they have no salary, they may need to think how to use it.]. followed by a main clause, as in this student example: current debate between Hong Kong and Britain on of oil prices. to leave until this morning. field was narrowed down to six teams.

However, it IS acceptable to use the structure Due to the fact that + Main Clause, as the following examples show:

1. The difference must have been due to the fact that Minh had been living in a more pleasant environment for six months. 2. Mr Goh said the dramatic rise in the amount of to the US might be due to the fact that more tourists had come to Hong Kong.

American currency flowing from the territory back

As with the use of the two structures Due to + Noun following structures are also acceptable: Because + examples of these structures are shown below:

Phrase and Due to the fact that + Main Clause, the Main Clause and Because of + Noun Phrase. Some

Because of a smaller budget this term, the faculty has had to shelve other programs such as the setting up of an institute of neurology. The port and airport development is currently agree on a financing package.

stalled because of Britain and Chinas failure to

 Mrs Fung was also murdered because she knew Because the cheque was made payable to China Restaurant, there was no problem when the cashier deposited it in the restaurants account. A. Because + Main Clause and Because of the gang.

+ Noun Phrase are acceptable at the start of a the fact that + Main Clause.

sentence. So are Due to + Noun Phrase and Due to

the verb to be, e.g.

B. Due to is frequently preceded by a form of

Her anger was probably due to her tiredness; The results may be due to her laziness. Note that the construction to be due to is often preceded by a

modal verb (e.g.may, might could); of course, the main verb be should be used in such cases: e.g. The strong winds may be due to the approaching typhoon.

3. Exercise
5

Study the following examples and decide whether they are grammatically correct or not:

1. Korean authorities have banned a popular online game called Lineage because of a large violence. 2. It may not be a good time to have a baby while care of it or to probable financial problems. 3. Due to they have no salary, they may be asking number of instances of hacking, fraud and real life

studying at university, due to lack of time to take

us for a loan unless we go on holiday tomorrow.

4. It is difficult to develop the modern recycling industry in Hong Kong because of recycling needs a huge input of capital.

5. It is thought that the number of cases of lung cancer and heart disease will increase by about
6

25% due to breathe in second hand smoke. 6. Due to the fact that no money, he couldnt take her to Grappas. 7. Due to the fact that Andy had difficulties with the correct use of due to the fact that, he made a grammatical error. 8. Many teachers dislike the idea of students using do not know how to manage their finances responsibly.

credit cards because of they believe that students

9. This rise in the number cases of abortion in Hong Kong is due to a liberal attitude to sexual behavior. 10.

Because of I am mentally incompetent, I

cannot be held responsible for killing them all.

7

Key
1. CORRECT, as because of is rightly followed by the noun phrase a large number of instances of hacking, fraud and real life violence. Your score is now 3 out of 10. 2. CORRECT, as due to is rightly followed by a noun phrase, i.e. due to lack of time to take care of it or to probable financial problems.

3. INCORRECT, as due to is wrongly followed by the main clause they have no salary. One might correctly write: Due to the fact that they have no salary, they may be asking us for a loan unless we go on holiday tomorrow. 4. INCORRECT: because of should be followed by a noun phrase. One could correctly write: It is difficult to develop the modern recycling industry in Hong Kong because recycling needs a huge input of capital or: It is difficult to develop the modern recycling industry in Hong Kong because of / due to the necessity for a huge input of capital . 5. INCORRECT: breathe in second hand smoke is not a noun clause, and due to should be followed by a noun clause. 6. INCORRECT: the causal expression in this sentence is Due to the fact that; it needs to be followed by a main clause. Due to the fact that he had no money, he couldnt take her to Grappas would be fully acceptable. 7. CORRECT: the first occurrence of Due to the fact that in this sentence is rightly followed by a main clause, i.e. Andy had difficulties with the correct use of due to the fact that. 8. INCORRECT: all of the words that follow because of in this case wrongly form a main clause, i.e. they believe thatstudents do not know how to manage their finances responsibly. One possible correct version would be to change they believe intotheir belief, so that all the words following because of would rightly be a noun phrase. That is, a correct version could be: Manyteachers dislike the idea of students using credit cards because of their belief that students do not know how to manage their finances responsibly. 9. CORRECT: due to is correctly followed by a noun phrase, i.e. a liberal attitude to sexual behavior. 10. INCORRECT: the causal expression used in this sentence is Because of and it would correctly be followed by a noun phrase. But the statement I am mentally incompetent follows Because of; and it is, wrongly, a main clause. One correct version could be Because I am mentally incompetent, I cannot be held responsible for killing them all. Due to could also be used, as follows: Due to my mental incompetence, I cannot be held responsible for killing them all.