it was because of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it was because of" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to explain the reason or cause of something. Example: "The event was canceled; it was because of the severe weather conditions."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

It was because of Biden.

The New Yorker

"It was because of the public humiliation.

Independent

It was because of their skills".

Independent

It was because of the time.

The New Yorker

And it was because of Dean".

The New Yorker

It was because of that horrific experience.

The New York Times - Sports

It was because of my belly.

The New Yorker

It was because of childcare.

The New Yorker

Partly it was because of politics.

The Guardian - Books

It was because of the tone.

The New York Times

And it was because of Daddy's fault.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it was because of" to clearly state the direct cause of an event or situation. This phrase is effective when you want to emphasize the reason behind something.

Common error

Avoid using "it was because of" in conjunction with other redundant phrases that already indicate causality. For example, instead of saying "It was because of the rain that the game was canceled", simply state "The game was canceled because of the rain".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it was because of" functions as a causal connector, linking an outcome or result to its cause. It provides an explanation for why something happened, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

53%

Formal & Business

22%

Science

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "it was because of" serves as a common and grammatically correct phrase used to explicitly indicate the cause of a certain event or situation. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is usable in written English across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science. While "it was because of" is generally neutral, alternative phrases like "due to" or "as a result of" may be more appropriate for formal settings. It's crucial to avoid redundancy when using this phrase to maintain clarity and conciseness in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was caused by

This is a more direct and simpler way of expressing causation.

because of that

This is a slightly less formal way to express the same causal relationship.

it happened due to

This option is slightly more formal and emphasizes the reason something occurred.

it was a consequence of

This alternative is more formal and highlights the result as an inevitable outcome.

the reason was

This focuses on providing the explanation or justification.

it resulted from

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the outcome as a direct consequence.

the effect of that was

This alternative emphasizes the impact or outcome of a prior action or event.

it stemmed from

This alternative suggests that the cause originated or developed from something else.

it arose from

This alternative implies that the cause emerged or came into existence.

attributable to

A more formal alternative often used in analytical or scientific contexts.

FAQs

How to use "it was because of" in a sentence?

Use "it was because of" to explain the cause or reason for something. For example, "The project failed; "it was because of" poor planning".

What can I say instead of "it was because of"?

You can use alternatives like "due to", "as a result of", or "caused by" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "it was because of" or "it was due to"?

Both ""it was because of"" and "it was due to" are correct and can be used interchangeably in many contexts. However, "it was due to" might sound slightly more formal.

What's the difference between "it was because of" and "because"?

"It was because of" emphasizes the reason more directly, often following a statement about an outcome. "Because" simply introduces the reason or cause without the added emphasis.