Because vs. Because of – English Grammar Exercises for B1
You are reading breaking news updates regarding a cancelled concert. Choose the best option (A, B, C, or D) to complete each announcement.
1 “BREAKING: We regret to announce that tonight’s concert is cancelled ______ a sudden illness.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) since
(D) as
2 “The band cannot perform tonight ______ the lead singer has completely lost his voice.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
3 “All ticket purchases will be automatically refunded to your bank accounts ______ the cancellation.”
(A) because
(B) since
(C) as
(D) because of
4 “______ severe weather conditions, the outdoor stage is completely unsafe for the performers.”
(A) Because of
(B) Because
(C) Since
(D) As
5 “The management team made this difficult decision ______ they prioritize the safety of the fans.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
6 “Thousands of fans are currently waiting outside the stadium ______ a massive traffic jam delayed the crew.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
7 “Official Statement: The show will not go on ______ strict security concerns at the venue.”
(A) because
(B) since
(C) because of
(D) as
8 “______ having a dangerously high fever, the artist was taken to the local hospital an hour ago.”
(A) Because
(B) Since
(C) As
(D) Because of
9 “We are posting this urgent update right now ______ we want to reach as many attendees as possible.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) owing to
(D) because
10 “Many fans are understandably heartbroken ______ the last-minute announcement.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) since
(D) as
11 “The VIP meet-and-greet session is also postponed ______ it is part of tonight’s official schedule.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
12 “______ a sudden power outage in the downtown area, the sound system cannot be tested.”
(A) Because of
(B) Because
(C) Since
(D) As
13 “The event organizers are facing heavy criticism online ______ poor communication with the public.”
(A) because
(B) since
(C) as
(D) because of
14 “The singer just released a video to apologize ______ she feels terrible about the situation.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) owing to
(D) because
15 “______ unexpected technical difficulties, the opening act will not be able to perform.”
(A) Because
(B) Because of
(C) Since
(D) As
16 “We cannot simply reschedule the concert for tomorrow ______ the stadium is already booked for another event.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) owing to
(D) because
17 “Please check your email for refund instructions ______ our customer service phone lines are extremely busy.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
18 “The local police advised us to clear the entire area ______ an approaching thunderstorm.”
(A) because
(B) because of
(C) since
(D) as
19 “Reporters noticed that some attendees were crying ______ they had traveled across the country for this specific show.”
(A) because of
(B) due to
(C) because
(D) owing to
20 “______ being completely exhausted and physically sick, the pop star has been ordered to rest for two weeks.”
(A) Because
(B) Since
(C) As
(D) Because of
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (B) because of
- Why it is correct: “A sudden illness” is a noun phrase. There is no verb. We must use the preposition because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) are conjunctions that require a full clause (Subject + Verb).
2 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “The lead singer has completely lost his voice” is a full clause (Subject + Verb). Therefore, the conjunction because is required.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) are prepositions that must be followed by a noun phrase, not a clause.
3 (D) because of
- Why it is correct: “The cancellation” is a noun phrase. -> because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a full clause.
4 (A) Because of
- Why it is correct: “Severe weather conditions” is a noun phrase. -> Because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) require a full clause.
5 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “They prioritize the safety of the fans” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a noun phrase.
6 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “A massive traffic jam delayed the crew” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a noun phrase.
7 (C) because of
- Why it is correct: “Strict security concerns at the venue” is a noun phrase. -> because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a full clause.
8 (D) Because of
- Why it is correct: “Having a dangerously high fever” is a gerund phrase (V-ing), which acts as a noun in English grammar. -> Because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a full clause with a standard subject and verb (e.g., “Because he had…”).
9 (D) because
- Why it is correct: “We want to reach as many attendees as possible” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a noun phrase.
10 (B) because of
- Why it is correct: “The last-minute announcement” is a noun phrase. -> because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) require a full clause.
11 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “It is part of tonight’s official schedule” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a noun phrase.
12 (A) Because of
- Why it is correct: “A sudden power outage in the downtown area” is a noun phrase. -> Because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (B), (C), and (D) require a full clause.
13 (D) because of
- Why it is correct: “Poor communication with the public” is a noun phrase. -> because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a full clause.
14 (D) because
- Why it is correct: “She feels terrible about the situation” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a noun phrase.
15 (B) Because of
- Why it is correct: “Unexpected technical difficulties” is a noun phrase. -> Because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) require a full clause.
16 (D) because
- Why it is correct: “The stadium is already booked for another event” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a noun phrase.
17 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “Our customer service phone lines are extremely busy” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a noun phrase.
18 (B) because of
- Why it is correct: “An approaching thunderstorm” is a noun phrase. -> because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (C), and (D) require a full clause.
19 (C) because
- Why it is correct: “They had traveled across the country for this specific show” is a full clause. -> because.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (D) require a noun phrase.
20 (D) Because of
- Why it is correct: “Being completely exhausted and physically sick” is a gerund phrase (V-ing), functioning as a noun. -> Because of.
- Distractor Analysis: (A), (B), and (C) require a full clause with a clear subject (e.g., “Because she was…”).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
1 Clause vs. Noun Phrase (The Structural Rule)
To provide a reason correctly, you must analyze the grammatical structure that immediately follows the blank.
- Use Because (or Since, As) when followed by a Clause (Subject + Verb).
- Example: The show is cancelled because the singer is sick.
- Use Because of (or Due to, Owing to) when followed by a Noun Phrase, a Pronoun, or a Gerund (V-ing).
- Example: The show is cancelled because of a sudden illness.
2 The Communicative Function of “Because of” in Journalism
When writing news articles, press releases, or official social media updates, brevity and professionalism are key. Journalists often convert wordy clauses into strong noun phrases to deliver the facts faster and sound more objective.
- Conversational (Clause): The concert was cancelled because the weather was severe.
- Journalistic (Noun Phrase): The concert was cancelled because of severe weather.
3 Using Gerunds (V-ing) with “Because of”
At the B1 level, you will begin to see Because of paired with a verb ending in -ing. This happens when the action itself acts as the “noun” reason.
- Example: She was hospitalized because of having a high fever.
- Example: The band apologized because of arriving late.