The Century Handbook of Writing

by Garland Greever; Easley S. Jones

1. The climate of America helps her athletes to become superior to other countries.
2. This tobacco is the best of any other on the market.
3. You men are paid three dollars more than any other factory in the city.
4. I thought I was best fitted for an engineering course than any other.
5. Care should be taken not to turn in more cattle than the grass in the pasture.

[Cause and Reason]

5. A simple statement of fact may be completed by a because clause.

• Right: I am late because I was sick.

But a statement containing the reason is must be completed by a that clause.

• Wrong: The reason I am late is because I was sick. [The "reason" is not a "because"; the "reason" is the fact of sickness.]
• Right: The reason I am late is that I was sick.

Because, the conjunction, may introduce an adverbial clause only.

• Wrong: Because a man wears old clothes is no proof that he is poor. [A because clause cannot be the subject of is.]
• Right: The fact that a man wears old clothes is no proof that he is poor. [Or] The wearing of old clothes is not proof that a man is poor.

[Note.]—Because of, owing to, on account of, introduce adverbial phrases only. Due to and caused by introduce adjectival phrases only.

• Wrong: He failed, due to weak eyes. [Due is an adjective; it cannot modify a verb.]
• Right: His failure was
  • due to
  • caused by
  • because of
• weak eyes.
  • owing to
  • on account of
• Right: He failed
• weak eyes.