Page 201 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

H i v i n g r e a s o n s : a s , o e c a u s e , o e c a u s e 0 1 , e i c ;
f o r a n d w i t h

As, because, seeing that/as, since
We can begin a clause with these words to give a reason for a particular situation:
• As it was getting late, I decided I should go home.
• We must be near the beach, because / can hear the waves.
• Since he was going to be living in Sweden for some time, he thought he should read
something about the country.
• We could go and visit Sue, seeing that we have to drive past her house anyway.
Notice that:
• It is also common and acceptable for because to begin a sentence, as in:
• Because everything looked different, I had no idea where to go.
• To give reasons in spoken English, we most often use because (often spoken as 'cos'). So is
also commonly used to express the same meaning. Compare:
• Because my mother's arrived, I won't be able to meet you on Thursday after all.
• My mother's arrived, so I won't be able to meet you on Thursday after all.
• With this meaning, since is rather formal:
• I didn't go out because I was feeling awful, ('since' is unlikely in an informal context)
• Seeing that is used in informal English. Some people also use seeing as in informal speech:
• He just had to apologise, seeing that/as he knew he'd made a mistake.

For, in that, inasmuch as
B
We also give reasons with these phrases in formal or literary written English:
• We must begin planning now, for the future may bring unexpected changes.
• The film is unusual in that there are only four actors in it.
• Clara and I have quite an easy life, inasmuch as neither of us has to work too hard but we
earn quite a lot of money.
Because of, due to, owing to
These prepositions can also be used to give a reason for something. Because of is used before a
noun or noun phrase:
• We won't be able to come because of the weather.
• The Prime Minister returned home because of growing unrest in the country.
Compare:
• We were delayed because there was an accident, (not ...because of there was...) and
• We were delayed because of an accident, (not ...because an accident.)
Due to and owing to also mean 'because of:
• She was unable to run owing to/due to a leg injury. (= because of a leg injury.)
• We have less money to spend owing to/due to budget cuts. (= because of budget cuts.)
Most people avoid using owing to after the verb be:
• The company's success is largely due to the new director, (not ...owing to...)

For and with
We can use for and with to introduce reasons. For has a similar meaning to 'because of:
• She was looking all the better for (= because of) her stay in hospital.
With this meaning, for is common in most styles of English. (Compare B above.) With has a
similar meaning to 'because there is/are':
• With so many people ill (= because so many people are ill), I've decided to cancel the meeting.
Notice we can use with, but not for, at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a reason.

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As: time = For: purpose = With + ng = For: how ong =
With (a screwdriver) =