What is the Difference Between Because and Because Of?

05/15/2025 • Felipe Moraes

The main difference between "because" and "because of" lies in their parts of speech and the elements they modify. Here are the key distinctions:

Because: This word is a conjunction, typically followed by a subject and a verb. It is used to introduce a reason or cause for an action or event. For example: "He fell because he wasn't paying attention".
Because of: This phrase is a preposition, followed by a noun, noun phrase, gerund, gerund phrase, object pronoun, possessive adjective, or wh- clause. It is also used to introduce a reason or cause for an action or event. For example: "We went to the pub because of our hunger".

In summary:

Use "because" when you need to modify a clause, as it is a conjunction.
Use "because of" when you need to modify a noun or noun phrase, as it is a preposition.

Comparative Table: Because vs Because Of

The difference between "because" and "because of" can be summarized as follows:

Because	Because of
A conjunction used to introduce a subordinate clause, providing a reason for something	A preposition used to introduce a noun phrase or noun clause, providing a reason for something
Connects a main clause with a subordinate clause	Connects a noun or noun phrase with a noun clause or noun phrase
Examples: "I didn't finish my homework because I was tired." or "She quit her job because she didn't like her boss."	Examples: "The package was inspected because of its suspicious appearance." or "The students were amazed because of the experiment's success."

Both "because" and "because of" provide a reason for something to be true or to happen. However, "because" is a conjunction that connects a main clause with a subordinate clause, while "because of" is a preposition that connects a noun or noun phrase with a noun clause or noun phrase.