a leading cause of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a leading cause of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a primary factor contributing to a particular outcome or issue. Example: "Smoking is a leading cause of lung cancer and other respiratory diseases."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents.

The Guardian

It is a leading cause of illness in young women.

The New Yorker

Obesity is a leading cause of the disease.

The New York Times - Science

Suicide is a leading cause of death for men.

The Guardian - Film

Eclampsia, a leading cause of maternal mortality.

Pregnancy Hypertension: An International Journal of Women's Cardiovascular Health

Suicide is a leading cause of death.

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Myocardial infarction is a leading cause of death worldwide.

Clinical and Translational Medicine

Preterm delivery is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity.

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics

Intrauterine infections are a leading cause of preterm birth [1].

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics

Ileus was a leading cause of IAH in our cohort.

Annals of Intensive Care

Stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide.

Brain Informatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a leading cause of", ensure that you provide specific data or evidence to support the claim. This strengthens the credibility of your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "a leading cause of" when the relationship is only correlational. Ensure that there is a strong causal link, not just a statistical association.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a leading cause of" functions as a noun phrase modifier, specifying a primary factor contributing to a particular outcome or condition. Ludwig AI examples showcase its use in identifying major causes of death, illness, and other significant issues.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a leading cause of" is a prevalent phrase used to highlight significant factors contributing to various outcomes. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent use across diverse domains, particularly science and news. When employing this phrase, support claims with evidence to enhance credibility, while avoiding overstatements of causality based solely on correlation. Alternatives like "a primary driver of" or "a major factor in" can provide nuanced variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a primary driver of

Replaces "cause" with "driver", emphasizing the force or impetus behind something.

a major factor in

Substitutes "cause" with "factor", highlighting the significant contribution of something.

a principal reason for

Replaces "cause" with "reason", focusing on the rationale behind something.

a key contributor to

Replaces "cause" with "contributor", emphasizing the role of something in contributing to a result.

an important determinant of

Replaces "cause" with "determinant", highlighting something that strongly affects what happens or exists.

a significant influence on

Shifts from direct causation to influence, indicating a strong effect on something.

a predominant source of

Replaces "cause" with "source", focusing on the origin or starting point of something.

the main instigator of

Replaces "cause" with "instigator", suggesting that something initiated an event or situation.

a critical component of

Replaces "cause" with "component", highlighting its essential role in creating the event/situation.

a central element in

Replaces "cause" with "element", underscoring its necessary presence in the unfolding of the situation.

FAQs

How do I use "a leading cause of" in a sentence?

Use "a leading cause of" to identify a primary factor contributing to a specific outcome. For example, "Smoking is "a leading cause of" lung cancer."

What are some alternatives to saying "a leading cause of"?

You can use alternatives such as "a primary driver of", "a major factor in", or "a principal reason for" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "the leading cause of" instead of "a leading cause of"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but they have slightly different meanings. "The leading cause of" implies that it is the single most significant factor, while "a leading cause of" indicates that it is one of several major contributing factors.

What's the difference between "a leading cause of" and "a contributing factor to"?

"A leading cause of" suggests a more direct and significant impact than "a contributing factor to". A contributing factor plays a role, but might not be as substantial or direct as a leading cause.