Because Of and Due To

Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To Because Of and Due To By Guest Author The saying too many cooks spoil the broth is spot on in the case of English language. Today, even native speakers make blunders in written and spoken English, being influenced by current trends. One such trend we are talking about is the misuse of due to and because of. Many are of the opinion that both of the pairs refer to the same thing, and that they can be used as synonyms. This is an absolute misconception. They cannot be used interchangeably because they do not belong to the same classification. When the classification is not the same, how can the usage be? Some native English speakers also claim that a sentence cannot be started with the pair because of. However, they are unable to demonstrate the reasons. In some cases, the sentence cannot be started with because of whereas in some cases it can. This is the sole purpose of this post. We will be discussing the legitimate reasons, usage and rules associated with both the word pairs. The Classification of The Word Groups In order to get a clear understanding of how to use both the word groups it is imperative to first know their classifications. Due to is an adjective, which means it can only modify pronouns and nouns according to the purest English grammar rules. Because of is an adverb, which means it can only modify verbs, adjectives and clauses, but not nouns and pronouns. The Explanation It is quite difficult to grasp the concept outrightly with just categorizing the two word groups. So, it is important to lay down a little explanation along with some examples for you to get a clearer idea. Here are some examples of the usage of both the word groups: His frustration was due to the mucked up windscreen. He was frustrated due to the mucked up windscreen. In general, both of the sentences may sound right to you, but they are not. Carefully look at the first sentence and apply the grammar rule of noun modification. The word his is a possessive noun and it is complementing the noun frustration, and was is there as a linking verb. Now, due to the mucked up windscreen itself is an adjectival prepositional phrase which is the complement or the reason being attached to the noun with the help of the linking verb was. Therefore, in this case the usage of due to is absolutely right because it is fulfilling the purpose of modifying the noun. Now, take a look at the second and apply the same rule there. The pair due to is not connecting nor complementing the noun because the possessive noun his has been changed to he, which is a pronoun. This way, he is not the possessive noun now has become the main subject of the sentence and a pronoun. The pair due to has nothing to modify here because the verb is now was frustrated and adjectives cannot modify verbs. Henceforth, to connect a reason or a compliment to this sentence the adverb because of should be attached with the reason to make it appropriate. The correct sentence would be: He was frustrated because of the mucked up windscreen. As you can see, the pair because of is now modifying the verb was frustrated, so this sentence is correct now. Use This Trick When in Doubt One trick you can use is to substitute due to with caused by. If the substitution does not work, then you probably shouldnt use due to there. For example: My low grade was due to lack of study. My low grade was caused by lack of study. The substitution works, so due to is being used correctly. Here is another example: I missed the class due to the rain. I missed the class caused by the rain. The substitution doesnt work here, so due to shouldnt be used there. The correct sentence would be: I missed the class because of the rain. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Is She a "Lady" or a "Woman"?15 Types of DocumentsParataxis and Hypotaxis

More You Should Know about Hercules

More You Should Know about Hercules What You Should Know About Hercules | More You Should Know About Hercules | 12 Labors Hercules (Greek: Heracles/Herakles) Basics: Hercules was Apollo and Dionysus half-brother through their father Zeus. Disguised as Amphitryon, Zeus paid a conjugal visit to Amphitryons wife, Hercules mother, the Mycenaean princess Alcmene. Hercules and his twin, mortal, half-brother Iphicles, son of Alcmene and the real Amphitryon, were in their cradle when a pair of snakes visited them. Hercules happily strangled the snakes, possibly sent by Hera or Amphitryon. This inaugurated an extraordinary career that included the well-known 12 labors Hercules performed for his cousin Eurystheus. Here are more of Hercules feats with which you should be familiar. Education Hercules was talented in many areas. Castor of the Dioscuri taught him to fence, Autolycus taught him to wrestle, King Eurytus of Oechalia in Thessaly taught him archery, and Orpheus brother Linus, son of Apollo or Urania, taught him to play the lyre. [Apollodorus.] Cadmus is usually attributed with introducing letters into Greece, but Linus taught Hercules, and the not very academically inclined Hercules broke a chair over Linus head and killed him. Elsewhere, Cadmus is credited with killing Linus for the honor of introducing writing to Greece. [Source: Kerenyi, Heroes of the Greeks] Hercules and the Daughters of Thespius King Thespius had 50 daughters and wanted Hercules to impregnate them all. Hercules, who went hunting with King Thespius each day, was unaware that each nights woman was different (although he may not have cared), and so he impregnated 49 or 50 of them. The women gave birth to 51 sons who are said to have colonized Sardinia. Hercules and the Minyans or How He Acquired His First Wife The Minyans were exacting a heavy tribute from Thebes the usually cited birthplace of the hero while it was ruled by King Creon. Hercules encountered the Minyan ambassadors en route to Thebes and cut off their ears and noses, made them wear their bits as necklaces, and sent them back home. The Minyans sent retaliatory a military force, but Hercules defeated it and freed Thebes from the tribute. Creon rewarded him with his daughter, Megara, for his wife. The Augean Stables Reprised, With Dishonor King Augeas had refused to pay Hercules for cleaning his stables during the 12 Labors, so Hercules led a force against Augeas and his twin nephews. Hercules contracted a disease and asked for a truce, but the twins knew it was too good an opportunity to miss. They continued to try to annihilate Hercules forces. When the Isthmian Games were about to begin, the twins set out for them, but by this time, Hercules was on the mend. After dishonorably attacking and killing them, Hercules went to Elis where he installed Augeas son, Phyleus, on the throne in place of his treacherous father. More Hercules Dishonor Madness Euripides tragedy Hercules Furens is one of the sources for the madness of Hercules. The story, like most of those involving Hercules, has confusing and contradictory details, but in essence, Hercules, returning from the Underworld in some confusion, mistook his own sons, ones he had with Creons daughter Megara, for those of Eurystheus. Hercules killed them and would have continued his murderous rampage had Athena not lifted the (Hera-sent) madness or ate. Many consider the 12 Labors Hercules performed for Eurystheus his atonement. Hercules may have married Megara to his nephew Iolaus before leaving Thebes forever. Hercules Fight With Apollo Iphitus was the son of Apollos grandson Eurytus, who was the father of the beautiful Iole. In Book 21 of the Odyssey, Odysseus obtains the bow of Apollo when he helps in the hunt for Eurytus mares. Another part of the story is that when Iphitus came to Hercules looking for the missing dozen mares, Hercules welcomed him as a guest, but then hurled him to his death from a tower. This was another dishonorable murder for which Hercules needed to atone. The provocation may have been that Eurytus denied him the prize of his daughter, Iole, that Hercules had won in a bow-shooting contest. Possibly in search of atonement, Hercules arrived at the sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi, where as a murderer he was denied sanctuary. Hercules took the opportunity to steal the tripod and cauldron of Apollos priestess. Apollo came after him and was joined by his sister, Artemis. On Hercules side, Athena joined the fight. It took Zeus and his thunderbolts to put an end to the fighting, but Hercules still hadnt made atonement for his act of murder. Apollo, Asclepius, and Admetus On a related note, Apollo and Hercules both confronted Laomedon, an early king of Troy who refused to pay either Apollo or Hercules. Hercules and Omphale For atonement, Hercules was to endure a similar term to the one Apollo had served with Admetus. Hermes sold Hercules as a slave to the Lydian queen Omphale. In addition to getting her pregnant and tales of transvestism, the story of the Cercopes and the Black-bottomed Hercules comes from this period. Omphale (or Hermes) also set Hercules to work for a treacherous robber named Syleus. With wanton vandalism, Hercules demolished the thiefs property, killed him, and married his daughter, Xenodike. Hercules Last Mortal Wife Deianeira The final phase of Hercules mortal life involves his wife Deianeira, daughter of Dionysus (or King Oineus) and Althaia. Exchange and the Maiden When Hercules was taking his bride home, the centaur Nessus was to ferry her across the Euenos River. The details are varied, but Hercules shot Nessus with poisoned arrows when he heard the screaming of his bride being ravaged by the centaur. The centaur persuaded Deianeira to fill her water jug with blood from his wound, assuring her it would be a potent love potion when next Hercules eye started to wander. Instead of being a love potion, it was a potent poison. When Deianeira thought Hercules was losing interest, preferring Iole to herself, she sent him a robe drenched in the centaurs blood. As soon as Hercules put it on his skin burned intolerably. Poisoned Clothing Hercules wanted to die  but was having trouble finding someone to set his funeral pyre alight so he could self-immolate. Finally, Philoctetes or his father agreed and received Hercules bow and arrows as a thanks offering. These turned out to be essential weapons required by the Greeks to win the Trojan War. As Hercules burned, he was taken to the gods and goddesses where he gained full immortality and Heras daughter Hebe for his final wife. Philoctetes - The Difficult PatientBulfinch: Hercules - Hebe and GanymedeDeath of Hercules