cause of leaving

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cause of leaving" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the reason or motivation behind someone's decision to leave a situation, organization, or relationship. Example: "The cause of leaving the company was primarily due to a lack of career advancement opportunities."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

And so it came to pass: the cause of leaving the EU, for so long the preserve of cranks and chancers, attracted a share of the popular vote for which any modern political party would give its eye teeth.

The Guardian - Opinion

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Farage were willing until less than a fortnight ago to do anything, to say anything, and to rubbish anyone who disagreed with them in the cause of leaving the EU.

The Guardian - Opinion

Psychological distress (e.g., depression and anxiety) has been regarded as the main cause of leaving work for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in workplaces.

BMC Psychiatry

Leaving a data field blank can make it more difficult to estimate the exact completeness or perform comparative analyses (that is, the exact cause of leaving a data field blank could be "not measured", "forgotten" or "unknown").

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

I can't remember a recent film, not even a Harry Potter episode, that cleaved with so little doubt to the cause of adolescence, leaving all unsavory practices to the grownups.

The New Yorker

She put in what she could remember, the birth and death year for each person and the cause of death, leaving question marks here and there, though she could have looked up an obituary to find the missing information.

The New Yorker

His high-road farewell, whatever the cause of his leaving, made me wonder, what's the best way to handle a layoff, particularly in the first hours and days after you get the bad news?

Forbes

From 2000 to 2007, there were 21 472 singleton stillbirths reported to CMACE of which 120 (0.6%) had a missing SOA and 919 (4.3%) had missing or unclassifiable cause of death leaving 20 433 for analyses.

BMJ Open

"Based on our research, family problems such as divorce are the major cause of children leaving home," said Deputy Director Xie Xiaowei of the Zhengzhou Street Children Protection Centre, a local governmental partner of UNICEF.

Unicef

However, this did not happen, which had caused him to think of leaving his job to go to an NGO.

Human Resources for Health

The actor James Nesbitt, 50, star of the TV series The Missing, said receiving the OBE, for services to acting and to Northern Ireland, would "give credence" to the cause of those left searching for loved ones following the Troubles.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "cause of leaving", ensure the context is clear about what is being left (e.g., a job, a country, a relationship). Specifying the object clarifies the statement.

Common error

While grammatically sound, "cause of leaving" can sound somewhat clunky in highly formal writing. Consider alternatives like "reason for departure" or "motivation for resignation" for a smoother, more professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cause of leaving" functions as a noun phrase identifying the reason or motivation behind a departure. It specifies what prompted someone to leave a situation, organization, or relationship. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "cause of leaving" is a grammatically sound phrase used to identify the reason for a departure. According to Ludwig AI, it's correct and usable in various contexts. While not overly frequent, the phrase appears in news, media, and scientific publications. For more formal or professional writing, alternatives like "reason for departure" or "motivation for resignation" might be more suitable. When using "cause of leaving", ensure clarity about what is being left to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reason for departing

Replaces "cause" with "reason" and uses the more formal "departing" instead of "leaving".

motive for resignation

Substitutes "cause" with "motive" and "leaving" with the more specific "resignation", implying a formal departure from a job.

grounds for abandonment

Replaces "cause" with "grounds" and "leaving" with "abandonment", suggesting a more complete or permanent departure.

reason for vacating

Uses "vacating" instead of "leaving", often applicable to positions or premises.

motivation for exit

Replaces "cause" with "motivation" and "leaving" with "exit", suitable for various contexts of departure.

antecedent to departure

Employs a more formal and academic tone, indicating something that precedes and influences the act of leaving.

driving force behind the exit

Uses a more emphatic phrasing to highlight the primary reason for leaving.

catalyst for withdrawal

Replaces "cause" with "catalyst" and "leaving" with "withdrawal", suggesting a trigger event.

impetus for quitting

Uses "impetus" to mean the driving force and replaces "leaving" with "quitting", suggesting a more informal or abrupt departure.

determinant of secession

Employs more formal language, suggesting a deliberate and potentially formal separation.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "cause of leaving"?

More formal alternatives include "reason for departure", "motivation for resignation", or "grounds for abandonment", depending on the specific context.

Can "cause of leaving" be used in any situation?

While grammatically correct, "cause of leaving" is best suited for neutral to formal contexts. In very informal situations, simpler phrases like "why someone left" might be more appropriate.

What are some common reasons that might be considered the "cause of leaving" a job?

Common causes include lack of career advancement, dissatisfaction with salary or benefits, poor management, or a toxic work environment.

Is there a difference between "cause of leaving" and "reason for leaving"?

While the phrases are very similar, "cause of leaving" may imply a more significant or impactful factor, while "reason for leaving" is a more general term.