Used and loved by millions
Since I tried Ludwig back in 2017, I have been constantly using it in both editing and translation. Ever since, I suggest it to my translators at ProSciEditing.

Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
because they lacked data
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "because they lacked data" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to explain a reason for a decision or outcome that is dependent on insufficient information or evidence. Example: "The researchers were unable to draw any conclusions from their study because they lacked data."
✓ Grammatically correct
Science
News & Media
Formal & Business
Alternative expressions(3)
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
8 human-written examples
But because they lacked data about generators' actual costs, their estimates may be too low.
News & Media
City officials complained that their hands were tied because they lacked data.
News & Media
Scientists had never seen seismic evidence that a far-away earthquake can register in Antarctica's ice in part because they lacked data.
Science & Research
The calculation could not be performed for two of the samples, Ceará and Santa Catarina, because they lacked data on one or more color categories.
Science
14 practices were excluded because they lacked data for all 7 years.
Science
Analysis included only 148 cases for which microbiological and demographic information were available; 13 cases were excluded from further analysis because they lacked data on leukocyte count.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
52 human-written examples
Are click-fraud auditors hamstrung in their efforts to assess click fraud accurately because they lack data that Google has, particularly click-through rates (the number of times an ad is clicked for each time it appears)?
News & Media
Subsequently, additional studies were excluded because they lacked sufficient data (n = 25) or did not contain high quality data (n = 2).
Science
An additional 134 individuals were excluded because they lacked complete data required to calculate 30-year CVD risk.
Science
Among the 1927 cases investigated, 53 cases were excluded because they lacked RT PCR data and the FISH analysis failed.
Science
Of all the study participants followed, 353 could not be included in the analyses because they lacked important data (347 individuals on the SF-36, and 6 on other variables of interest).
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When using the phrase "because they lacked data", ensure the context clearly identifies who 'they' refers to, and what the consequences of lacking data were. Be specific about the missing information's impact.
Common error
Avoid vague statements. Instead of saying "the project failed because they lacked data", specify what type of data was missing and how its absence directly contributed to the failure. For example: "The project failed because they lacked data on customer demographics, preventing accurate market analysis".
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "because they lacked data" functions as an adverbial clause of reason, providing an explanation for a preceding statement. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.
Frequent in
Science
60%
News & Media
25%
Formal & Business
15%
Less common in
Academia
0%
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, "because they lacked data" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase in English, employed to provide a reason based on a deficiency of information. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its validity and practicality across diverse contexts. The phrase appears most frequently in scientific and news contexts, suggesting a neutral to formal register. When employing this phrase, ensure clarity regarding who 'they' refers to and the precise impact of the missing data. While direct, alternatives such as "due to insufficient data" may offer a more formal tone in certain settings.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
due to their lack of information
Replaces "because" with "due to" and rephrases "lacked data" as "lack of information".
owing to their insufficient data
Uses "owing to" instead of "because" and "insufficient data" as a more formal alternative.
as a result of the absence of data
Substitutes "because" with "as a result of" and emphasizes the "absence" of data.
given their data deficit
Replaces the original phrase with a more concise and direct term, "data deficit".
since they were short on data
Uses "since" in place of "because" and phrases the lack as being "short on data".
for want of data
A more formal and somewhat archaic expression meaning "due to a lack of".
lacking sufficient information, they...
Inverts the structure and uses a participial phrase to convey the reason.
they couldn't proceed because of missing data
Explains the consequence of lacking data more explicitly.
their analysis was limited by the data scarcity
Focuses on the limitation imposed by the "data scarcity".
they were hampered by the dearth of data
Uses "hampered" to express impediment and "dearth" to express scarcity.
FAQs
How can I rephrase "because they lacked data" to sound more formal?
For a more formal tone, consider using phrases like "owing to their insufficient data", "due to the absence of data", or "as a consequence of their limited data availability".
What are some synonyms for "lacked data"?
Alternatives include "data deficit", "insufficient data", "missing information", or "incomplete data set".
Is it grammatically correct to say "because they lacked data"?
Yes, the phrase "because they lacked data" is grammatically correct. It's a common way to explain the reason for a decision or outcome based on insufficient information.
How does "because they lacked data" differ from "due to insufficient data"?
While both convey a similar meaning, "because they lacked data" is more direct and personal, emphasizing the agent ('they') and their lack. "due to insufficient data" is more formal and impersonal, focusing on the data itself.
Editing plus AI, all in one place.
Stop switching between tools. Your AI writing partner for everything—polishing proposals, crafting emails, finding the right tone.
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
82%
Authority and reliability
4.1/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested