I. Because/As/Since:
Because/As/Since is followed by a clause (Subject + Verb):
Example: Mary couldn’t go to school because she was ill.
II. Because of/Due to/Owing to/Thanks to
Because of/Due to/Owing to/Thanks to can be followed by a Noun phrase:
Example: Mary couldn’t go to school because she was ill.
Because of her illness, Mary couldn't go to school.
Because of/Due to/Owing to/Thanks to can be followed by a V-ing only when the two subjects refer to the same person/thing:
Example: He makes many mistakes, so he was fired by the boss.
Due to making many mistakes, he was fired by the boss.
In case we cannot form a Noun, and cannot use V-ing, we can create our own Noun phrase by adding a possessive adjective before V-ing.
Example: I didn’t have enough money, so someone bought the ticket before me.
Owing to my not having enough money, someone bought the ticket before me.
III. For, In that, Insomuch as, Seeing that, Seeing as
All these phrases mean and work exactly the same as Because.
For, In that, Insomuch as are often used in very formal writing.
Example: The suggested solution is highly inapplicable, in that the government would have to spend billions of dollars.
Seeing that, Seeing as are often used in spoken English.
Example: We might as well walk to the place, seeing that there are no buses running at this time.
III. What with:
This phrase means and works exactly the same as Because of.
Example: What with the drought and the neglect, the garden is in a sad condition.
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