Because: Giving reasons

Because is a conjunction. That is a fancy word for 'glue'. It glues two smaller sentences together. The first part is usually the result. The second part is the reason. For example: "I am happy." That is a result. "It is Friday." That is the reason. Glue them together: "I am happy because it is Friday." See? It is like magic. You are now explaining your emotions. You can also flip the sentence. But for now, keep it simple. Put the reason after the because. It makes your English flow much better. It is like adding salt to food. It just makes everything better.

1. 1Creating a sentence with because is easy. Just follow these three simple steps:
2. 2Start with the main action or feeling (The Result).
3. 3Add the word because right after it.
4. 4Add a full sentence that explains why (The Reason).
5. 5Remember, the reason must be a full sentence. It needs a subject and a verb.
6. 6Result: I am tired
7. 7Glue: because
8. 8Reason: I stayed up late
9. 9Full sentence: I am tired because I stayed up late.
10. 10It is like a Lego set. You just click the pieces together. No complicated tools are required. Just make sure the pieces fit logically.

Use because whenever someone asks you "Why?". It is the natural partner to that question.

Imagine you are ordering food. The waiter asks why you want no onions. You say, "I want no onions because I have a date later." That is a great reason!

Imagine a job interview. The boss asks why you want the job. You say, "I want this job because I love your company." This sounds professional and clear.

Use it for asking directions too. "I am lost because my GPS died." People love to help when they know why.

Use it for your feelings. "I am nervous because the test is hard." It helps your friends support you. It turns a simple statement into a story.

Do not use because with just a noun. If you say, "I am late because the traffic," it is wrong. You need a verb! Say, "I am late because the traffic was bad."

Also, try not to start every sentence with it. In formal writing, it is often better in the middle. If you start with because, you need a comma later. That can be tricky for now.

Don't use it when the reason is obvious. If you are soaking wet in the rain, don't say "I am wet because it is raining." Your friends can see that! Use it for information people don't know yet.

One big mistake is using so and because together. People say, "Because it was raining, so I stayed home." This is a grammar traffic jam! Use one or the other, never both.

Another mistake is the "Short Reason."

• ✗ I like coffee because the taste.
• ✓ I like coffee because I like the taste.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired. But you are a pro now. Always check for that subject and verb after the glue word.

Don't forget the spelling. It is not "becouse" or "becose". It is because. Think of the phrase: Big Elephants Can Always Understand Small Elephants.

You might know the word so. It is the opposite of because.

• Because looks backward at the reason.
• So looks forward at the result.

Example:

• "I was hungry, so I ate a sandwich."
• "I ate a sandwich because I was hungry."

They are like two sides of the same coin. Because is for the "Why". So is for the "What happened next".

You might also hear because of. This is different! Because of is for nouns.

• "I am late because of the rain." (Noun)
• "I am late because it rained." (Sentence)