Because vs. Because of – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are talking to a friend who just moved to your city. You are warning them to stay away from the West district at night due to its high crime rate and dangerous environment.
Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each sentence. Read carefully, as the questions get progressively more challenging!
1 “You shouldn’t go for a walk in the West district at night ______ it is very dangerous.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) despite
2 “Locals usually avoid that area after dark ______ the danger.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) thanks to
(D) cause of
3 “The streets are completely empty at night ______ the high crime rate.”
(A) since of
(B) because
(C) because of
(D) however
4 “Many shops close very early ______ the crime rate is getting worse.”
(A) because of
(B) because
(C) therefore
(D) due to
5 “I am warning you about this ______ you are my friend and I care about you.”
(A) because of
(B) thanks for
(C) because
(D) owing to
6 “People refuse to park their cars in that alley ______ the lack of streetlights.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) instead of
(D) although
7 “It’s extremely risky to go there ______ there are many abandoned buildings.”
(A) because of
(B) so
(C) because
(D) due of
8 “The police patrol the neighborhood frequently ______ the recent robberies.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) nevertheless
(D) causing
9 “Don’t walk alone near the station ______ the gangs operating in that neighborhood.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) even though
(D) reason of
10 “You really must take a taxi home ______ walking around at night is unsafe.”
(A) because of
(B) owing to
(C) unless
(D) because
11 “______ the darkness, it is very easy to get lost in those narrow streets.”
(A) Because
(B) Because of
(C) Due to fact
(D) However
12 “______ the area has a bad reputation, tourists are told to stay away.”
(A) Because of
(B) Therefore
(C) Because
(D) Despite
13 “My family actually moved away from the West district ______ it.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) due
(D) for
14 “I worry about your safety ______ your lack of experience in this big city.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) since
(D) as
15 “The neighborhood is notorious ______ the criminals who hide there.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) on account
(D) resulting from
16 “The local park is strictly closed after 8 PM ______ several people were mugged.”
(A) because of
(B) due to the fact
(C) because
(D) despite
17 “I am giving you this serious warning ______ what happened to me last year.”
(A) because
(B) regardless of
(C) because of
(D) caused by
18 “Avoid the subway station completely ______ it gets very isolated late at night.”
(A) because of
(B) because
(C) owing to
(D) as a result
19 “A tourist got into serious trouble last week ______ ignoring advice about the West district.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) even though
(D) due from
20 “Many businesses have shut down ______ the fact that the crime rate has increased.”
(A) because
(B) owing
(C) although
(D) because of
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) because
- Why it’s correct: “it is very dangerous” is a full clause (Subject + Verb). We use “because” before a clause.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake (used before nouns, not clauses). (B) “due to” is a Structural Error (similar to because of, needs a noun). (D) “despite” is a Meaning Trap (it means ‘even though’, which contradicts the logic).
2 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the danger” is a noun phrase. We use “because of” before a noun.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake (used before clauses). (D) “cause of” is a Structural Error (missing ‘be’). (C) “thanks to” is a Meaning Trap (“thanks to” is used for positive outcomes, danger is negative).
3 (C) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the high crime rate” is a noun phrase.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (B) “because” is a Common Mistake. (A) “since of” is a Structural Error (this phrase does not exist). (D) “however” is a Meaning Trap.
4 (B) because
- Why it’s correct: “the crime rate is getting worse” is a full clause (Subject: the crime rate + Verb: is getting).
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake. (D) “due to” is a Structural Error (requires a noun). (C) “therefore” is a Meaning Trap (wrong conjunction for this sentence structure).
5 (C) because
- Why it’s correct: “you are my friend” is a full clause.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake. (D) “owing to” is a Structural Error (requires a noun). (B) “thanks for” is a Meaning Trap.
6 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the lack of streetlights” is a noun phrase.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake. (C) “instead of” is a Meaning Trap (wrong meaning). (D) “although” is a Structural Error/Meaning Trap.
7 (C) because
- Why it’s correct: “there are many abandoned buildings” is a full clause.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake. (D) “due of” is a Structural Error (fake phrase). (B) “so” is a Meaning Trap.
8 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the recent robberies” is a noun phrase.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake. (D) “causing” is a Structural Error. (C) “nevertheless” is a Meaning Trap.
9 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the gangs operating in that neighborhood” is a noun phrase. “Operating” is a participle describing the gangs, not the main verb of a clause.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Strong Distractor/Common Mistake (students see “operating” and think it’s a verb making a full clause, but it lacks a “be” verb like “are operating”). (D) “reason of” is a Structural Error. (C) “even though” is a Meaning Trap.
10 (D) because
- Why it’s correct: “walking around at night is unsafe” is a full clause. The subject is the gerund phrase “walking around at night”, and the verb is “is”.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Strong Distractor/Common Mistake (students see “walking” and assume it’s just a noun phrase, missing the verb “is”). (B) “owing to” is a Structural Error. (C) “unless” is a Meaning Trap.
11 (B) Because of
- Why it’s correct: “the darkness” is a noun phrase.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “Because” is a Common Mistake. (C) “Due to fact” is a Structural Error (missing “the” and “that”). (D) “However” is a Meaning Trap.
12 (C) Because
- Why it’s correct: “the area has a bad reputation” is a full clause (Subject: the area + Verb: has).
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “Because of” is a Common Mistake. (B) “Therefore” is a Meaning Trap (wrong conjunction at the start of a dependent clause). (D) “Despite” is a Meaning Trap.
13 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “it” is a pronoun acting as a noun.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake (you cannot say “because it” without a verb following it). (C) “due” is a Structural Error (missing “to”). (D) “for” is a Meaning Trap.
14 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “your lack of experience in this big city” is a long noun phrase. There is no verb.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake. (C) “since” is a Structural Error (requires a clause). (D) “as” is a Structural Error (requires a clause).
15 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the criminals who hide there” is a noun phrase. “The criminals” is the main noun, and “who hide there” is a relative clause modifying it. It does not make an independent clause.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Strong Distractor/Common Mistake (students see “hide” and think it’s a full clause). (C) “on account” is a Structural Error (missing “of”). (D) “resulting from” is a Meaning Trap.
16 (C) because
- Why it’s correct: “several people were mugged” is a full clause (Subject: several people + Verb: were mugged).
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake. (B) “due to the fact” is a Structural Error (missing “that”). (D) “despite” is a Meaning Trap.
17 (C) because of
- Why it’s correct: “what happened to me last year” acts as a noun clause (functioning as an object). Therefore, it takes the preposition “because of”.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Strong Distractor/Common Mistake. (D) “caused by” is a Structural Error. (B) “regardless of” is a Meaning Trap.
18 (B) because
- Why it’s correct: “it gets very isolated” is a full clause (Subject: it + Verb: gets).
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because of” is a Common Mistake. (C) “owing to” is a Structural Error. (D) “as a result” is a Structural Error/Meaning Trap.
19 (B) because of
- Why it’s correct: “ignoring advice” is a gerund phrase acting as a noun.
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake. (D) “due from” is a Structural Error (should be due to). (C) “even though” is a Meaning Trap.
20 (D) because of
- Why it’s correct: “the fact that the crime rate has increased” is technically a noun phrase (head noun: “the fact”). The phrase “because of the fact that” is grammatically correct (though wordy).
- Analysis of incorrect options: (A) “because” is a Common Mistake (you cannot say “because the fact that”). (B) “owing” is a Structural Error (missing “to”). (C) “although” is a Meaning Trap.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Because + Clause:
- A clause MUST have a Subject and a Verb.
- Example: I stayed home because [it] (subject) [was raining] (verb).
- Because of + Noun / Pronoun / V-ing (Gerund):
- Use “because of” when you only have a noun phrase without a main verb.
- Example (Noun): I stayed home because of [the rain].
- Example (Pronoun): I stayed home because of [it].
- Example (V-ing): He got in trouble because of [ignoring] the rules.
- Beware of the Traps!
- Participles vs. Verbs: “The gangs operating in the area” is a NOUN phrase (Use because of). “The gangs are operating in the area” is a CLAUSE (Use because).
- Gerund Subjects: “Walking at night is unsafe” is a CLAUSE because “is” is the main verb. (Use because).
- Relative Clauses: “The criminals who hide there” is a NOUN phrase. “who hide there” just describes the criminals. (Use because of).