Pronunciation

/bɪˈkɒz/

Definitions

• Adverb: Used to introduce a reason or cause for something. For example: “I stayed home because I was feeling sick.”
• Prepositional phrase: A combination of a preposition and a noun or pronoun that functions as an adverb, often introducing a reason. For example: “She decided to study abroad because of the opportunity to learn a new language.”

Phrases

• “Because of” is used to indicate the cause or reason for an action.
• “Due to” can also be used interchangeably with “because” to express a similar reason.
• “As a result” or “consequently” are often used to connect a cause and its effect.

Example Sentences

• Adverb: “She missed the deadline because she had to help her sister move.”
• Prepositional phrase: “The party was canceled because of the bad weather.”
• “They decided to go on vacation because they needed a break from work.”

Synonyms

• For the reason that
• Owing to
• Thanks to
• Since
• Consequently
• Ergo

Note

While “because” can function as an adverb, it’s primarily recognized as a preposition in this context, leading to the formation of prepositional phrases. However, in informal spoken English, it might be used more like an adverb to provide a reason.