reason of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reason of" is not correct and is not commonly used in written English.
It is typically incorrect because the more appropriate phrase is "reason for" when indicating the cause or justification for something. Example: "The reason for the delay was unforeseen circumstances."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There was good reason, of course.

The Economist

One reason, of course, is tradition.

The New York Times

Q: What is the reason of that?

The New York Times

The reason, of course, is simple: money.

The New York Times - Sports

Innocent by reason of insanity?

The New York Times

The reason of vibration is various.

Procedia Engineering

The reason of this difference is obvious.

Yale University

Presently the reason of the difference appears.

Columbia University

The real reason of course is laziness.

Yale University

One reason, of course, is money.

The New York Times - Health

And the reason, of course, is Iraq.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "reason for" instead of "reason of". The preposition "for" is grammatically correct when indicating the cause or explanation for something.

Common error

Avoid using "reason of" in your writing. This construction is grammatically incorrect and can make your writing sound awkward. Instead, opt for "reason for", which is the standard and accepted form.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reason of" functions incorrectly as a prepositional phrase intended to indicate cause or explanation. Ludwig AI notes that it's not a standard or grammatically sound construction. The intended function is to link a cause or motive to an effect or situation.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "reason of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in modern English. As Ludwig AI highlights, the correct and preferred alternative is ""reason for"". While "reason of" appears sporadically across various sources, including science, news, and academia, its usage is discouraged. Therefore, writers should opt for grammatically sound alternatives to maintain clarity and credibility in their writing. Remember to use ""reason for"", "cause of", or similar phrases to express cause or explanation effectively.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reason for

Replaces the incorrect preposition "of" with the correct preposition "for" to indicate cause or explanation.

cause of

Substitutes "reason" with "cause" to emphasize the origin or source of something.

basis for

Replaces "reason" with "basis" to highlight the foundation or justification for something.

explanation for

Replaces "reason" with "explanation" to focus on providing clarification or understanding.

rationale for

Replaces "reason" with "rationale" to emphasize the logical or principled justification.

motive for

Replaces "reason" with "motive" to highlight the underlying intention or desire.

justification for

Replaces "reason" with "justification" to emphasize the legitimacy or validity of something.

purpose of

Highlights the intended aim or goal behind something, rather than the cause.

account for

Used to explain why something happened or exists.

grounds for

Emphasizes the legal or formal basis for an action or decision.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "reason" in a sentence?

The correct way to use "reason" in a sentence to indicate cause or explanation is with the preposition "for", as in "the "reason for" the delay".

What can I say instead of "reason of"?

Instead of "reason of", you can use alternatives like ""reason for"", "cause of", or "motive for" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "reason of" or "reason for"?

"Reason for" is the correct and standard English usage. "Reason of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect.

When should I use "reason for" versus "purpose of"?

Use ""reason for"" when explaining the cause or explanation behind something. Use "purpose of" when referring to the intended aim or goal. For example, "The reason for the meeting was to discuss budget cuts" versus "The purpose of the meeting was to finalize the budget".