APIEGrammar: Reasons with Because, As, Since, and Due To
Clocks and watches through history
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Expressing Reasons: because, because of, due to, thanks to, as, and since
Learn how to explain why something happens using the right word or connector in everyday English.
💡 How to use this lesson
👨🏫 For Teachers:
• Use this 12-minute guide to present reason connectors with clear, simple examples.
• Check answer keys together with students after they finish all 12 practice tasks.
🎓 For Learners:
• Read the 4 easy rule cards first to see how each word connects your ideas.
• Next, complete the 12 practice tasks below to test your understanding step by step.
📋 Grammar Rule Table
A thing or a full sentence
Use because of or due to before a thing or an -ing word. Never put a full sentence right after them. Use because when you have a full sentence with a person or thing and a verb.
• The ancient village checked time because of the new sundial.
• The village checked time because the sundial stood in the central square.
• The market closed because of the strike.
Using Because, As, and Since
Use because, as, and since before a full sentence. We use because to answer a direct why question. Put as or since at the start when giving a reason the listener already knows.
• Since the heavy pendulum swung smoothly, the clock ticked very quietly.
• Since the shop was closed, we went home.
• Travelers bought small pocket watches as they needed to know the exact hour.
Good vs. Bad Results
Use thanks to before a noun when something brings a good or happy result. If something leads to a bad result or problem, use because of instead.
• Thanks to a prompt chime, everyone woke up on time for work.
• Thanks to her good map, we found the station in ten minutes.
• The kitchen clock stopped because of a broken steel spring inside.
After is or was, or after other verbs
Put due to right after words like is, was, or were. Use because of after other regular action verbs like stopped, ran, or failed.
• The delay of the train was due to a broken station clock.
• The ancient hourglass failed because of damaged glass.
• The late start was due to a broken alarm.
Clocks and watches through history: from ancient sundials to precision clockwork gears.
Test Your Knowledge (12 Items)
Work through the exercises below from easy to hard.
Which sentence correctly connects the reason for using a sundial?
Select the sentence that expresses a positive outcome correctly:
Which sentence correctly gives a reason with "since"?
Original sentences: "The old hourglass was useless. The sand inside was wet."
Combine the two sentences into one sentence by completing the blank with because of and the reason:
The old hourglass was useless ___.
____ (Type answer here...)Original sentences: "The delivery of the pendulum clock was overdue. Heavy snow blocked the road."
Complete the rest of the sentence using due to after the verb "was":
The delivery of the pendulum clock was overdue ___.
____ (Type answer here...)Original sentences: "We tracked time accurately. The clockwork was precise."
Start the new sentence with Thanks to to highlight the good result:
___, we tracked time accurately during the experiment.
____ (Type answer here...)Choose the correct word to complete the sentence:
"The grandfather clock ticked steadily _____ the pendulum was perfectly balanced."
Choose the best connector for this happy result:
"_____ the modern spring design, my watch didn't gain a single minute all week!"
Select the connector that fits after the verb "was":
"The train's overdue status was _____ a damaged track signal."
Choose the correct phrase to fix Alex's message:
Which word or phrase should Sam use instead of "Thanks to"?
Select the correct replacement for "stopped due to":
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