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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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that caused by

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "that caused by" is not correct in English; it should be "that was caused by" or "caused by." You can use it when referring to a specific effect or result that is the consequence of a particular cause.
Example: "The damage to the building was significant, particularly that caused by the storm."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Mammals, including people, form scar tissue after cardiac damage like that caused by a heart attack.

The damage they cause may sometimes be mistaken for that caused by unfavourable weather.

Disruptions such as that caused by the SARS outbreak only make it more paranoid.

News & Media

The Economist

That is a decrease in insulin sensitivity comparable to that caused by gaining 9-13kg (20-30lb) in weight.

News & Media

The Guardian

The measures enforced by the troika have created an economic contraction akin to that caused by war.

The increase was similar to that caused by the lysosomal v-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1.

However, there is variation around that mean, both natural variation and that caused by measurement uncertainty.

Agriculture could be responsible for a greater loss of vegetation cover than that caused by livestock.

The harm is different to that caused by noise exposure or simple ageing.

News & Media

BBC

Besides, this nanodevice has a cytotoxicity on tumor cells 8-fold higher than that caused by the free drug.

Tissue disruption/loss caused by insertion of this probe is considerably less than that caused by ablative surgery.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use the grammatically correct form "that was caused by" or, for a more concise phrasing, simply "caused by". Be mindful of passive voice constructions and choose active voice where appropriate for clarity.

Common error

Ensure the passive voice construction is complete by including the auxiliary verb "was" (or another appropriate form of "to be"). Omitting "was" results in a grammatically incorrect phrase. Instead of writing the incorrect "that caused by", write "that was caused by" or rephrase the sentence to use the active voice.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "that caused by" functions as a reduced relative clause, aiming to specify the origin or reason behind something. However, it's grammatically incomplete, missing the necessary auxiliary verb. According to Ludwig AI, the correct form would be "that was caused by."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

52%

News & Media

32%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "that caused by" is frequently used across various sources, it's grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "that was caused by" or, in many cases, simply "caused by". According to Ludwig AI, remember that while context spans across scientific, news, and general content, paying attention to grammatical precision is important, especially in formal writing. Consider using alternatives like "that resulted from" or "due to" to express similar causal relationships with improved clarity and correctness. Always double-check passive voice constructions to ensure they include the necessary auxiliary verbs.

FAQs

How can I correctly use "that caused by" in a sentence?

The phrase "that caused by" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "that was caused by" or simply "caused by". For example, instead of "the damage that caused by the storm", use "the damage that was caused by the storm" or "the damage caused by the storm".

What are some alternatives to "that caused by"?

You can use alternatives like "that resulted from", "due to", or "because of" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "that caused by" or "that was caused by"?

"That was caused by" is the grammatically correct option. "That caused by" is missing the auxiliary verb "was", making it incomplete and incorrect.

Is it always necessary to include "that was" before "caused by"?

No, it's not always necessary. You can often simplify the sentence and use "caused by" directly. For instance, instead of "the problem that was caused by the rain", you can simply say "the problem caused by the rain".

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Source & Trust

81%

Authority and reliability

2.8/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: