In this lesson we’ll learn how to show reason using as, because, since and for.
Video lesson 6:00, comprehension test 5:00
As, because and since are conjunctions. As, because and since all introduce subordinate clauses. They connect the result of something with its reason.
Because is more common than as and since, both in writing and speaking. When we use because, we are focusing on the reason:
She spoke quietly because she didn’t want Catherine to hear.
We’ll come over on Sunday because David’s got to work on Saturday.
We often put the because-clause at the beginning of a sentence, especially when we want to give extra focus to the reason. We use a comma after the because-clause:
Because breathing is something we do automatically, we rarely think about it.
We can use a because-clause on its own without the main clause in speaking or informal writing:
We often shorten because to cos /kəz/ or /kɒz/ in informal speaking and writing:
I’m laughing cos I’m so happy.
We often use as and since when we want to focus more on the result than the reason. As and since are more formal than because. We usually put a comma before since after the main clause:
[result]I hope they’ve decided to come as [reason]I wanted to hear about their India trip.
[result]They’re rather expensive, since [reason]they’re quite hard to find.
We often use as and since clauses at the beginning of the sentence. We use a comma after the as- or since- clause:
Since everything can be done from home with computers and telephones, there’s no need to dress up for work any more.
As everyone already knows each other, there’s no need for introductions. We’ll get straight into the business of the meeting.
We use because, not as or since, in questions where the speaker proposes a reason:
Are you feeling unwell because you ate too much?
We sometimes use for as a conjunction meaning ‘because’. We use it in very formal, and often literary, contexts:
Chasing the white stag through the forests, never catching it, of course, for it is a creature of legend.
EXAMPLES |
DEFINITION |
| I went to bed at 9 pm as I had a plane to catch at 6 am. | We use as to connect a result with a cause |
| Sean had no reason to take a taxi since his flat was near enough to walk to. |
We use since as subordinating conjunction to introduce a subordinate clause. We use it to give a reason for something |
| We can’t go to Julia’s party because we’re going away that weekend. | to show reason |
| You can cook dinner tonight cos I did it last night. | cos is short for because: informal |
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