can you use because in an essay

KathySteinemann.com: Free Resources for Writers and Poets

Word lists, cheat sheets, and sometimes irreverent reviews of writing rules. kathy steinemann is the author of the writer's lexicon series..

30+ Alternatives for “Because”: A Word List for Writers

Because Overuse: A Challenge to Overcome

Readers may raise their eyebrows if they encounter multiple repetitions of because within a short passage . Although finding replacements for a building block of the English language is tricky, it’s not impossible.

This post contains more than thirty alternatives for because.

Does This News Item Irritate You?

Because of the prevailing political climate, those in office avoid encounters with the press. They say it’s because of busy schedules, but their constituents say it’s because the politicians don’t want to stand up for “what’s right.”

Can we rewrite to exclude because ?

With the prevailing political climate, those in office avoid the press. They blame busy schedules, but their constituents disagree, accusing the politicians of not standing up for “what’s right.”

The succinct version relays the same message in a more engaging manner.

Let’s Review a Statement Made by an Ecological Group

Because of GMOs (genetically modified organisms), humans may one day find themselves facing extinction. We need to act now, because waiting is not an option, because procrastination puts us and future generations at risk, because soon every crop and every animal species used for food will have been genetically modified. Do you want to tell your children and your grandchildren that you didn’t act because you were afraid of the GMO bullies?

Can we lower the word count and strengthen the message like we did in the previous example?

GMOs (genetically modified organisms) may one day cause the extinction of humans. Soon, every crop and animal species used for food will have been genetically modified. Prompt action is crucial; procrastination endangers us and future generations. Do you want to tell your children and grandchildren that your fear of the GMO bullies resulted in apathy rather than action?

Fewer words. More direct message. Engaged readers.

However, some writers might prefer the repetitions in the sentence that begins with We need to act now . Like the lyrics of “We’re Off to See the Wizard,” which repeats because multiple times as an intentional literary device, the sentence could function as it stands.

Wilbur Faces a Smelly Dilemma

Because Wilbur’s cologne had offended the noses of all partygoers in the banquet hall, he slipped into the men’s bathroom for a quick wash. Truth be told, he looked forward to removing the cologne from his pits, because it burned. He stripped to the waist. Unfortunately, his efforts were thwarted somewhat, because he couldn’t find any soap. Because of that, he splashed generous quantities of plain water over his upper body.

When he returned to the banquet hall a few minutes later, he couldn’t figure out why everyone was gawking at him. Until he looked down and realized it was because his crotch was dripping wet.

Poor Wilbur. Can we tighten the narrative?

Wilbur’s cologne had offended the noses of all partygoers in the banquet hall. No problem. He slipped into the men’s bathroom for a quick wash, looking forward to removing the burning cologne from his pits. After stripping to the waist, he couldn’t find any soap. Oh well, plain water is almost as good.

When he returned to the banquet hall a few minutes later, he couldn’t figure out why everyone was gawking at him. Until he glanced down and realized his crotch was soaked.

Which version do you prefer? Note the addition of two internal-dialogue snippets.

Perhaps a Colon, Semicolon, Em Dash, or Period Would Solve the Problem

She had no reason to be disappointed , because he showed up on time.

She had no reason to be disappointed: He showed up on time.

She walked to work because her car was out of gas.

She walked to work; her car was out of gas.

I need to go to the meeting because my boss isn’t available.

I need to go to the meeting — my boss isn’t available.

He was confused because the test didn’t make any sense.

He was confused . The test didn’t make any sense.

Direct Replacements for Because

My preference for replacing because, or short phrases including it, is to reword. However, the following suggestions will help if you don’t have the time or desire for more extensive edits. Beware: Some alternatives will contribute to word bloat . Others might be best suited for dialogue, awkward narrators, or period fiction.

as Because As the woman had no friends, she walked alone.

as a consequence Obesity has soared in many countries because as a consequence of poor diet and lack of exercise.

as a result Because As a result of his impudence, the teacher gave him a detention.

as long as Because As long as she studied, she received excellent marks.

as things go Because As things go , if he thinks he can win, he will.

being that (not my favorite phrase, folks) Because Being that he arrived late, he missed the appetizer tray.

by reason He was found not guilty because by reason of insanity.

by virtue He received a medal because by virtue of his bravery.

consequently She works out every day. Because of that Consequently , she is well-toned and healthy.

considering Because of Considering the extenuating circumstances, I will forgive his absence.

due to Because of Due to a tornado warning, everyone evacuated the fairgrounds.

for He loved her because of for her enthusiasm and loyalty.

for the reason that (another phrase I dislike) The process is tedious, because for the reason that every step must be verified by three people.

for the sake The government must reduce its spending because for the sake of the economy.

forasmuch as The stable boy readied the horse and carriage because forasmuch as the mistress desired to drive into town. (Archaic; useful for historical novels. Forasmuch as also appears in some legal documents.)

given that Because Given that herbicides were banned, the landscaper had to search for other means of weed control.

in light Because In light of her excellent references, we decided to hire her.

in that His essay was believable, because in that he supported his arguments with comprehensive data.

inasmuch as Because Inasmuch as the patient had contracted a contagious infection, visitors were required to wear gowns and masks.

in view Because In view of the overwhelming evidence that pollution causes so many deaths, the government passed a new Clean Air Act.

in view of the fact that Because In view of the fact that nobody RSVPed to the invitations, the organizers cancelled the concert.

knowing as how (yet another iffy phrase) He decided to pack his bags and leave, because knowing as how she didn’t want him around anymore.

now that We can begin the staff meeting because now that the boss has arrived.

on account He can’t run the marathon because on account of his sprained ankle.

on the grounds that We are rejecting your story because on the grounds that it doesn’t fit the theme of our publication.

out She trembled because out of fear .

owing to Because of Owing to her poor interpersonal skills, she was demoted.

owing to the fact that Because Owing to the fact that a violent storm swept over the stadium, the game was cancelled.

seeing Because of Seeing her anger, he decided to keep his mouth shut.

seeing that Because Seeing that the woodpecker had hammered on the window every morning for a week, she set up a motion-sensitive alarm to scare it away.

since Because Since the warp drive was damaged, they stopped for repairs.

so (often requires rewording) Because my tooth ached, I booked a dental appointment. My tooth ached, so I booked a dental appointment.

thanks to Because of Thanks to his diligence, the project was completed ahead of schedule.

therefore I think; because of that therefore I am.

through Because of Through union bargaining, the employees received a 5 percent raise.

Exercises to Test Your Because -Cognition

Remove most instances of because by substitution or rewording.

Millie knew she’d never pass the biology test, because she hadn’t studied enough. But the lack of studying wasn’t because of anything she had done. It was because she was exhausted. Every night for two weeks, her sleep had been disturbed because Mr. Clarke’s dogs barked. And barked. And barked. It isn’t fair. Why should I fail just because the idiot mutts next door can’t keep their yaps shut?

Suggested solution

Millie knew she’d never pass the biology test — she hadn’t studied enough. But the lack of studying wasn’t her fault: She was exhausted. Every night for two weeks, Mr. Clarke’s dogs had barked. And barked. And barked. It isn’t fair. Why should I fail just because the idiot mutts next door can’t keep their yaps shut?

Notes: Adjustments in punctuation eliminate two instances of because . The colon in the edited version could have been changed into a semicolon, with She becoming she — or two sentences could have been created by replacing the colon with a period. Rewording removes all other repetitions, except for one in Millie’s internal monologue. Leaving it in makes her thoughts seem more natural.

Because of antibiotic abuse, many bacteria have become resistant to even the most powerful drugs. Because of this, pharmaceutical companies have been asked to produce new drugs. However, because of many factors, including insufficient financial incentives for research and development, the number of new drugs entering the market is inadequate.

Antibiotic abuse has facilitated significant bacteria resistance to even the most powerful drugs. Health professionals and governments have asked pharmaceutical companies to produce new drugs. However, many factors, including insufficient financial incentives for research and development, have resulted in an inadequate number of new drugs entering the market.

Notes: Edits are straightforward, replacing instances of because rather than rewording sentences . Note the reduction in passive voice.

Len bought the biggest, most expensive TV he could find: one with all the bells and whistles. Because he could afford it. Because he deserved it. But as he was setting it up, he discovered that he couldn’t read the instructions because they were written in what looked like Cantonese.

Undaunted by this hiccup, he called the local Chinese restaurant. Unfortunately, he had a problem communicating with the person who answered the phone, because she spoke in broken English with a heavy Cantonese accent. Because he couldn’t make her understand what he wanted, he decided to drive to the restaurant, instructions in hand. When he showed her the instructions and explained via a combination of sign language and English, she laughed at him.

“You no understand,” she said.

“Exactly. I can’t understand the words because they’re Cantonese.”

“No, no, no, you no understand words because they Japanese and you hold page upside down.”

Len bought the biggest, most expensive TV he could find: one with all the bells and whistles. He could afford it. He deserved it. But as he was setting it up, he discovered he couldn’t read the instructions, which were written in what looked like Cantonese.

Undaunted by this hiccup, he called the local Chinese restaurant. Unfortunately, the woman who answered the phone spoke in broken English with a heavy Cantonese accent. She had no idea what he wanted.

So Len drove to the restaurant , instructions in hand . When he showed her the instructions and explained via a combination of sign language and English, she laughed at him.

“You no understand,” she said .

Notes: Extraneous instances of because in the exercise are gone. No need to have Len decide to drive to the restaurant. In the solution he drives there, period, without the instructions in hand ; steering would be difficult if he’s clutching something while trying to navigate. Once again, dialogue remains the same.

Are You Interested in More Word Lists and Writing Tips?

If you haven’t done so already, please subscribe to my blog . (The link will take you to the subscription widget at the top left of this post.)

I usually post two to five times monthly, and you can discontinue your subscription at any time.

4 thoughts on “ 30+ Alternatives for “Because”: A Word List for Writers ”

Hi Kathy, great piece as usual. However, I disagree with the GMO example. That paragraph intentionally uses the repetition of ‘because’ as a tool to drum home the point. I wouldn’t necessarily want to change this, especially if it’s for spoken delivery.

Happy blogging, Sandi (or Nyamazela if you’re following my blog).

Thanks for stopping by, Sandi.

The rule of threes works well for many pieces, and as long as readers are happy with what they see, the writer can be too.

Thanks for that. I have you book, The Writers’ Lexicon and it’s most useful.

Thanks, Vivienne! If all goes well, I’ll have a second volume of Lexicon ready for release early in 2018.

Comments are closed.

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

Word Choice: Alternatives to ‘Said’ and ‘Because’

3-minute read

• 29th November 2015

Our research shows that ‘said’ and ‘because’ are two of the most overused words in academic writing . This is understandable, as both are useful for explaining research and the results of studies.

However, excessive repetition of common words can detract from the flow of your written work, so it helps to know a few alternatives.

Alternatives to ‘Said’

The word ‘said’ is mostly used when reporting speech. This includes quoting research (e.g. in you literature review) or reporting what participants have said in an interview or survey. For example:

One respondent said that the process was ‘too complicated’.

There are lots of alternatives to ‘said’, all of which attribute the thought being reported to the person named. These include ‘claimed’, ‘suggested’ and ‘remarked’:

One respondent claimed that the process was ‘too complicated’.

One respondent suggested that the process was ‘too complicated’.

One respondent remarked that the process was ‘too complicated’.

There are also words you can use in place of ‘said’ when the person you’re quoting is doing something specific, such as arguing or clarifying a point:

Jones (1994, p.16) argues that ‘previous policies are now outdated’.

The CEO clarified that ‘company policy has changed since the incident’.

With these, make sure the word you use fits the context: it would not make sense, for instance, to say that ‘the CEO argued that company policy has changed’ as this is a factual claim (i.e. either policy has changed or it hasn’t), not an argument.

Alternatives to ‘Because’

The word ‘because’ means ‘due to the fact that’. As such, it’s handy for explaining your reasoning and commonly used when describing the consequences of something.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

There are two main ways to use ‘because’. One is as a conjunction, where ‘because’ is followed by a subject and a verb:

A qualitative approach was chosen because it enables collection of in-depth data.

In these cases, alternatives include ‘since’ and ‘as’, both of which are also conjunctions:

A qualitative approach was chosen since it enables collection of in-depth data.

A qualitative approach was chosen as it enables collection of in-depth data.

The phrase ‘because of’, meanwhile, is a preposition, so needs to be followed by a noun phrase or an ‘-ing’ verb:

The results are unreliable because of the limited sample size.

The business failed because of falling prices.

In this case, your alternatives include phrases like ‘due to’ and ‘as a result of’:

The results are unreliable due to the limited sample size.

The business failed as a result of falling prices.

Remember to check whether you’re using ‘because’ or ‘because of’ before selecting an alternative word.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Get help from a language expert. Try our proofreading services for free.

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

The 5 Best Ecommerce Website Design Tools 

A visually appealing and user-friendly website is essential for success in today’s competitive ecommerce landscape....

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

Because, Because, Because (How to Prevent Repetition)

3-minute read

• 24th September 2016

When Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion head off to see the Wizard of Oz , they do so ‘because, because, because, because, because, because, because of the wonderful things he does.’

This is undeniably a catchy tune to hum while walking a yellow brick road. From a proofreading perspective , however, it’s hard to get past the unnecessary repetition of ‘because’.

If Dorothy had used ‘because’ that often in an essay, we’d definitely suggest she make a few changes, as repetition can make your work seem monotonous. And since ‘because’ is a common term in academic writing , we recommend learning a few alternatives.

Synonyms for ‘Because’

There are plenty of words and phrases you can use in place of ‘because’ when introducing an explanation or justification in an essay. To demonstrate, we’ll work with this example sentence:

I went to see The Wizard of Oz because I love musical theatre.

Single words that can replace ‘because’ here include ‘as’, ‘since’ and ‘for’ (note that some terms require adding a comma to avoid ambiguity):

I went to see The Wizard of Oz , as I love musical theatre.

I went to see The Wizard of Oz since I love musical theatre.

I went to see The Wizard of Oz , for I love musical theatre.

However, ‘as’ and ‘since’ are both sometimes considered informal, while ‘for’ is quite old-fashioned. Thus, in academic writing, you may want to use a phrase instead:

I went to see The Wizard of Oz due to my love of musical theatre.

I went to see The Wizard of Oz as a result of my love for musical theatre.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

I went to see The Wizard of Oz on account of my love for musical theatre.

I went to see The Wizard of Oz in view of my love of musical theatre.

Many of these are actually replacements for the phrase ‘because of’ rather than just ‘because’, which is why the sentence is slightly changed in some cases.

Rearranging Sentences

Alternatively, you could get around overusing ‘because’ by rearranging sentences. For instance, we could say:

The Wizard of Oz was cancelled because the theatre burned down.

However, we could restructure the sentence to remove the ‘because’:

The theatre burned down, so The Wizard of Oz was cancelled.

Here, the conjunction ‘so’ is used to indicate that the second clause (‘ The Wizard of Oz was cancelled’) results from the first clause (‘the theatre burned down’). It thereby explains the situation without using ‘because’. Other possibilities include:

The theatre burned down; thus, The Wizard of Oz was cancelled.

The theatre burned down, which meant that The Wizard of Oz was cancelled.

There are, in fact, dozens of ways you could express the same idea without using ‘because’. The crucial thing is maintaining the sense of explaining or justifying something. Keep this in mind and it should be easy to avoid overusing words like ‘because’!

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Get help from a language expert. Try our proofreading services for free.

4-minute read

The Benefits of Using an Online Proofreading Service

Proofreading is important to ensure your writing is clear and concise for your readers. Whether...

2-minute read

6 Online AI Presentation Maker Tools

Creating presentations can be time-consuming and frustrating. Trying to construct a visually appealing and informative...

What Is Market Research?

No matter your industry, conducting market research helps you keep up to date with shifting...

8 Press Release Distribution Services for Your Business

In a world where you need to stand out, press releases are key to being...

How to Get a Patent

In the United States, the US Patent and Trademarks Office issues patents. In the United...

The 5 Best Ecommerce Website Design Tools 

A visually appealing and user-friendly website is essential for success in today’s competitive ecommerce landscape....

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Because , because of and cos , cos of

Because : meaning and use.

Because introduces clauses of cause and reason. It is a subordinating conjunction. This means that the clause it introduces is a subordinate clause, which needs a main clause to make it complete. We use a comma when the subordinate clause comes before the main clause:

[main clause] Everyone left early because [subordinate clause] Mark and Helen had an argument .

[subordinate clause] Because they were so tired , [main clause] they went to bed at 9 pm .

We don’t use for or why instead of because when we are giving reasons:

I’m going to go to the company’s head office on Monday because there is an emergency meeting there.

Not: … to the company’s head office on Monday for/why there is an emergency …

As , because or since ?

Because of is a two-word preposition meaning ‘as a result of’:

Because of the rain, the tennis match was stopped.

There were so many people in the shop because of the sale.

Cos , a short form of because , is pronounced /kəz/ or /kɒz/ and can also be spelt ’cause . It can be used instead of because (and cos of instead of because of ). We often use it in speaking, emails and text messages, especially in informal situations:

A: Why are you and Adam not talking to each other? B: Cos he’s always saying nasty things about me .

I don’t eat meat cos I love animals.

They cancelled the trip cos of the snow.

Just because , simply because

We can emphasise because with just or simply :

Just because you’re the boss, it doesn’t mean you can be rude to everyone.

I don’t want to do it simply because I think it’s wrong.

Word of the Day

Your browser doesn't support HTML5 audio

peanut butter (= a soft food made from crushed peanuts) and jam (= a soft sweet food made from fruit and sugar), or a sandwich with these inside. PB&J is short for peanut butter and jelly.

Sitting on the fence (Newspaper idioms)

Learn more with +Plus

• Recent and Recommended {{#preferredDictionaries}} {{name}} {{/preferredDictionaries}}
• Definitions Clear explanations of natural written and spoken English English Learner’s Dictionary Essential British English Essential American English
• Grammar and thesaurus Usage explanations of natural written and spoken English Grammar Thesaurus
• Pronunciation British and American pronunciations with audio English Pronunciation
• English–Chinese (Simplified) Chinese (Simplified)–English
• English–Chinese (Traditional) Chinese (Traditional)–English
• English–Dutch Dutch–English
• English–French French–English
• English–German German–English
• English–Indonesian Indonesian–English
• English–Italian Italian–English
• English–Japanese Japanese–English
• English–Norwegian Norwegian–English
• English–Polish Polish–English
• English–Portuguese Portuguese–English
• English–Spanish Spanish–English
• English–Swedish Swedish–English
• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists

Add ${headword} to one of your lists below, or create a new one.

{{message}}

Something went wrong.

There was a problem sending your report.

How to Say “Because of This” in an Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to effectively express the phrase “because of this” in your essays. Whether you are writing a formal or informal essay, it is crucial to use appropriate wording to convey your meaning accurately. In this guide, we will explore various ways to express this phrase, offering tips, examples, and even regional variations if necessary. So, let’s get started!

Formal Ways to Express “Because of This”

When writing a formal essay, it is essential to use language that is clear, concise, and appropriate for an academic or professional setting. Here are several formal expressions you can use to convey the meaning of “because of this”:

• Due to – This phrase is often used in formal writing to explain the cause and effect relationship. For example: “The decrease in sales was due to the recent economic downturn.”
• Owing to – Similar to “due to,” “owing to” is another formal expression used to discuss the cause and effect relationship. For instance: “The cancellation of the flight owing to bad weather caused significant delays.”
• As a result of – This phrase is commonly used to indicate the consequence of a particular event or action. To illustrate: “The company’s profits decreased as a result of the recent decline in consumer spending.”
• Because of – Although less formal than the expressions mentioned above, “because of” is still appropriate for most formal essays. For example: “The project was delayed because of unforeseen technical difficulties.”

Informal Ways to Express “Because of This”

If you are writing an informal essay, such as a personal narrative or a blog post, you have more flexibility to use colloquial language and expressions. Here are some informal ways to convey the meaning of “because of this”:

• Thanks to – This casual expression is widely used to indicate that something positive or beneficial happened as a result of a particular situation. For instance: “Thanks to the team’s hard work, we won the championship.”
• On account of – Although slightly more formal than other informal options, “on account of” is still an acceptable way to convey causation informally. For example: “We had to cancel the picnic on account of the rain.”
• Seeing as – This informal phrase is often used to introduce a reason or justification for something. To illustrate: “Seeing as it is your birthday, let’s go out and celebrate.”
• Given that – While slightly more formal than other informal expressions, “given that” can be used in less formal essays to indicate a cause-effect relationship. For instance: “Given that it was their first performance, they did exceptionally well.”

Regional Variations

The English language is remarkably versatile, with different expressions and colloquialisms used in various regions. While “because of this” is a fairly universal phrase, regional variations do exist. Here are a couple of examples:

Due to this – This expression is commonly used in British English as an alternative to “because of this.” For instance: “The train service has been disrupted due to this unforeseen maintenance issue.” Owing to this – Similar to “due to this,” “owing to this” is also used in British English as a regional variation. For example: “The football match had to be rescheduled owing to this unexpected storm.”

While regional variations can add an interesting touch to your essays, it is important to consider your audience and whether using these specific expressions is suitable.

Tips for Using “Because of This” in an Essay

Now that we have explored various formal and informal ways to express “because of this,” let’s dive into some essential tips to enhance your overall essay writing:

• Context is key: Before using any expression, ensure that it fits naturally in the overall context of your essay. Consider the tone, style, and formality required.
• Vary your vocabulary: While “because of this” is a useful phrase, avoid overusing it. Opt for other expressions to maintain diversity in your writing.
• Example sentences: It is often helpful to provide examples when explaining the consequences or reasons behind a particular situation. This adds clarity to your essay.
• Proofread meticulously: After completing your essay, proofread it carefully to ensure that your chosen expression effectively conveys your intended meaning.
• Seek feedback: Ask a friend or professor to review your work and provide feedback on the usage of expressions, ensuring that they are coherent and appropriate.

In conclusion, expressing “because of this” in an essay requires an understanding of formal and informal language, along with regional variations if necessary. By using expressions such as “due to,” “owing to,” “as a result of,” or “because of,” you can effectively convey the causative relationship in your writing. Additionally, depending on the tone and context of your essay, you can consider informal expressions like “thanks to,” “on account of,” “seeing as,” or “given that.” Remember to tailor your language choice to your intended audience and proofread your work diligently to ensure clarity and coherence. By following these tips and examples, you will be well-equipped to incorporate the phrase “because of this” seamlessly into your essays.

Related Posts

How to Say "Because" Without Saying "Because"

When it comes to expressing the reason or cause behind something, the word "because" often comes to mind. However, at times, we may want to find alternative ways to convey the same meaning without actually using the word "because". In this guide, we will explore formal and informal ways to express this concept, providing numerous tips, examples, and even regional variations where applicable.

Guide on How to Say "Because" in an Essay

When it comes to writing essays, it is crucial to effectively convey cause and effect relationships. One essential word that serves this purpose is "because." In this guide, we will explore various ways to express "because" in both formal and informal writing. We'll provide examples, tips, and also discuss any regional variations that might exist. So, let's dive in and enhance your essay writing skills!

How to Say "Because" in an Essay: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to effectively use the word "because" in your essays. Whether you're looking for formal or informal ways to convey cause and effect, we've got you covered. In this guide, we'll provide you with tips, examples, and regional variations to help you enhance your essay writing skills while maintaining a warm and engaging tone.

Guide: How to Say "This is Because" in an Essay

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to effectively express the phrase "This is because" in an essay. Whether you aim to communicate your thoughts formally or informally, our guide will equip you with useful tips, examples, and variations. By mastering the art of expressing causality in your writing, you'll enhance clarity and cohesiveness throughout your essays. Let's dive in!

Guide: How to Say "Because of This" - Formal and Informal Ways

Welcome to this comprehensive guide on how to express the concept of "because of this" in both formal and informal settings. Whether you're a language learner or simply looking to broaden your vocabulary, this guide will provide you with various tips, examples, and regional variations, highlighting both the similarities and differences in expressing this idea.

Alternative Ways to Express "Because of This"

When conveying the idea of "because of this" in a different way, whether in formal or informal contexts, it's useful to have a range of expressions at your disposal. This guide aims to provide you with various alternatives, helping you communicate your thoughts more effectively. Explore the following options, their examples, and tips to enhance your language skills.

Guide: How to Say "Because of This" in Japanese

When learning a new language, understanding how to express cause and effect is essential to fully communicate your thoughts and ideas. In Japanese, the phrase "because of this" is commonly used to indicate a reason or cause. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore various ways to say "because of this" in Japanese, focusing on both formal and informal expressions. We will also provide useful tips, examples, and regional variations if necessary.

How to Say "Because" - Formal and Informal Ways, Tips, and Examples

Learning different ways to express the word "because" in both formal and informal settings can greatly enhance your communication skills. In this guide, we will provide you with various alternatives to "because," along with tips on how to use them effectively. Whether you're writing a formal email, having a casual conversation, or simply seeking to diversify your vocabulary, this comprehensive guide will be of great assistance.

Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Arabic Cantonese Chinese Dutch English Farsi Filipino French German Greek Hawaiian Hebrew Hindi Irish Italian Japan Japanese Korean Latin Mandarin Mexican Navajo Norwegian Polish Portuguese Punjabi Romanian Russian Sanskrit Sign Language Spanish Swahili Swedish Tagalog Tamil Thai Turkish Ukrainian Urdu Vietnamese

• Privacy Policy

The Editor’s Manual

Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.

• Conjunctions

Can “Because” Start a Sentence?

It’s fine to start a sentence with because (or any other conjunction) in both formal and informal writing.

• Because this form has an upload limit, I have not attached a copy of my thesis to the application.
• Because Farley missed the bus, he missed the train as well.

Just remember to complete the sentence by adding a main clause.

• Incorrect: Because this paper has not yet been peer-reviewed but still been published. Correct: Because this paper has not yet been peer-reviewed but still been published, the results should be interpreted with caution .

In speech and informal writing, incomplete sentences or fragments are acceptable if context makes the meaning clear.

• “Why did the cat cross the road?” “ Because the chicken was on the other side.”

Also make sure it is clear what your pronoun refers to. The pronoun usually appears after the noun in a sentence instead of before it.

• Incorrect: Because she wants to travel the world, Maya has sold her house and car. Correct: Because Maya wants to travel the world, she has sold her house and car.

Because : When to use

Because , which means “for the reason that,” is a subordinating conjunction used to connect two clauses in a sentence.

• Farley had to buy an umbrella because it was raining. The two clauses (“Farley had to buy an umbrella” and “it was raining”) are connected by because .

As a subordinating conjunction, because introduces a subordinate clause and makes it dependent on the main clause for complete meaning.

• Because it was a fine evening , we took a walk under the stars. subordinate clause = “because it was a fine evening”; main clause = “we took a walk under the stars”

By itself, a subordinate clause does not convey complete meaning. If someone said to you “Because it was a fine evening,” you would ask “So what?” The main clause (“we took a walk under the stars”) completes the thought and therefore the sentence.

Because at start of sentence

It is grammatically fine to start a sentence with because . Starting a sentence with a subordinate clause, such as one introduced by because , helps place emphasis or end focus on the main clause. Leading with because also indicates to the reader that an explanation is forthcoming.

• Because Maya loves pasta, she lives in Campania. Immediately clear that an explanation is being provided and a reason is being given. Also places end focus in the sentence on the main clause (“she lives in Campania”).
• Because this clinical trial carries significant risk, we will be our own test subjects.
• Because of the lockdown, all the flights are cancelled.
• Because of you, I am in trouble.

The positioning of clauses in a sentence affects emphasis. When a main clause needs to be emphasized, it appears at the end of the sentence, after the subordinate clause.

• Lulu plans to throw a party because she bought extra pizza sauce. or Because Lulu bought extra pizza sauce, she plans to throw a party . emphasis on the main clause (“she plans to throw a party”)

When the subordinate clause appears first, the sentence starts with a conjunction like because . This is acceptable both grammatically and stylistically. In fact, you can start a sentence with any conjunction in English.

• We stayed in because it was raining. or Because it was raining, we stayed in.
• Rita loves to fly, although she is afraid of heights. or Although Rita is afraid of heights, she loves to fly.
• We were able to jump a little higher since we were on the Moon. or Since we were on the Moon, we were able to jump a little higher.

Just watch out for two common errors that often appear in sentences starting with because :

• Fragments or incomplete sentences
• Anticipatory references with unclear pronoun usage

Completing the sentence

When you start a sentence with because , make sure to complete it. The conjunction because introduces a subordinate clause, which by itself does not convey complete meaning. If you forget to add a main clause, what you have is a sentence fragment rather than a complete sentence.

• Incorrect: Because it was a cloudy day. Because it was a cloudy day, so what? Complete the sentence with a main clause. Correct: Because it was a cloudy day, Tumkin carried an umbrella with him to the park .

Longer fragments that start with because can be particularly tricky, fooling you into believing you’re writing a complete sentence. Always remember to complete the thought by adding a main clause.

• Incorrect: Because we found at the last minute that the weather bureau had forecast a hurricane. Correct: Because we found out at the last minute that the weather bureau had forecast a hurricane, we had to cancel our trip .
• Incorrect: Because the file was large. Correct: Because the file was large, the upload failed .

When you start a sentence with because , check whether the reader will be left asking, “So what?” If yes, you need to add a main clause.

• Because we have this head of cabbage and I know we have some leftover pasta. So what? Because we have this head of cabbage and some leftover pasta, we can make soup .

In formal writing as well, you can start a sentence with because (or any other conjunction), as long as you remember to complete the sentence by adding a main clause.

• Incorrect: Because we forgot to refresh the medium and the bacteria died. no main clause, i.e., an incomplete sentence or a fragment Correct: Because we forgot to refresh the medium, the bacteria died . Correct: Because we forgot to refresh the medium and the bacteria died, our research remains incomplete .
• Incorrect: Because we forgot to set up the sensors and were unable to collect any data. Correct: Because we forgot to set up the sensors, we were unable to collect any data .
• Incorrect: Because our research is now complete to publish a paper. Correct: Because our research is now complete, we can publish a paper .
• Incorrect: Because this company’s CEO has resigned. Correct: Because this company’s CEO has resigned, its share price has fallen .

Write complete sentences rather than fragments in formal writing (e.g., in a thesis or a cover letter).

• Incorrect: Because I have been managing teleportation services on Mars for seven years. Correct: Because I have been managing teleportation services on Mars for seven years, I have the experience required to serve your customers on Duranda . In formal writing, make sure a sentence that starts with because has a main clause.

Avoiding anticipatory reference

When a sentence starts with because , it can contain a pronoun whose reference is unclear at first use. If a pronoun appears before the noun it refers to, it can be confusing for readers and ruin the flow of your text.

• Poor: Because she was tired, Maya went to bed without brushing her teeth. “She” refers to Maya, but this is not clear until we read the second clause. Better: Because Maya was tired, she went to bed without brushing her teeth.

But you don’t have to avoid using because at the start of a sentence: simply make sure it is clear what your pronoun refers to.

• Incorrect: Nesbit and Tumkin are making a new video game. Because he likes to travel, Tumkin wants to make a game in which you fight demons in cities around the world. Because who likes to travel? Correct: Nesbit and Tumkin are making a new video game. Because Tumkin likes to travel, he wants to make a game in which you fight demons in cities around the world.

Here are some more examples of anticipatory reference , where clarity can be improved by making the pronoun appear after instead of before its antecedent (the noun it refers to).

• Incorrect: Because she loves to fly, Rita is saving up to buy a plane. Correct: Because Rita loves to fly, she is saving up to buy a plane.
• Incorrect: Because they are easy to make, we often insert graphs in our presentations. Correct: Because graphs are easy to make, we often insert them in our presentations.

In speech and informal usage

In speech, the meaning of a statement is often clear without the main clause being explicitly stated. Nobody speaks in complete sentences all the time.

• “Why did you cancel your trip?” “ Because of the hurricane.”
• “Why have you withdrawn your application? “ Because I have accepted another offer.”
• “Why are you so sleepy?” “ Because I woke up today at 4 a.m.”

Answering every question with a complete sentence can sound stuffy and pompous in everyday speech and informal writing.

Fragments are also common in creative writing, which naturally has a more conversational and narrative tone.

• He could teach any of us only one thing, and that one thing was flight. Because there was no freedom here. — Ernest J. Gaines , A Lesson Before Dying (1993)
• After everything that’s happened, how can the world still be so beautiful? Because it is. — Margaret Atwood , Oryx and Crake (2004)
• Because the truth is, we never know for sure about ourselves. — Richard Russo , Straight Man (1997)

“Because . . .” fragments are also seen in popular culture and on social media, where they can be used to make a point.

• “ Because Mondays.” Inscribed on a photo of a coffee mug to humorously indicate that coffee is necessary on Mondays.

Such colloquialisms, perfectly acceptable in informal settings, are avoided in formal writing. Do not write incomplete sentence in documents such as cover letters, academic theses, or business reports.

Anticipatory reference (where the pronoun appears before its antecedent) is also acceptable in informal and creative writing, where it can add an element of surprise, drama, or humor to a sentence.

• Because it tastes best cold, Maya likes to eat pizza straight out of the fridge.

In academic and other formal writing, where clarity is important, anticipatory reference is avoided.

Examples from literature

Here are some quotes from literature with sentences starting with because .

• Do you want to be a gentleman, to spite her or to gain her over? Because , if it is to spite her, I should think – but you know best – that might be better and more independently done by caring nothing for her words. — Charles Dickens , Great Expectations (1860)
• Because the world is so full of death and horror, I try again and again to console my heart and pick the flowers that grow in the midst of hell. — Hermann Hesse , Narcissus and Goldmund (1930)
• Because when all people had was practically nothing, then anything could be almost anything. — Terry Pratchett , Witches Abroad (1991)
• Because if she let go of her grief even for a minute it would only hit her harder when she bumped into it again. — Alice Munro , “The Bear Came Over the Mountain,” Hateship, Friendship, Loveship, Courtship, Marriage (2001)
• Because while you don’t have a choice about what you are, you have a choice about what you show. — Naomi Alderman , Disobedience (2006)

Share this article

It’s perfectly fine to start a sentence with because . The main clause (“she is happy”) can either start or end the sentence.

“Because the curtains are sheer” is an incomplete sentence. It requires a main clause (“Maya awoke at sunrise this morning”) to convey complete meaning.

A subordinate clause (like one that starts with because ) needs a main clause on which it depends to convey complete meaning.

It’s fine to start a sentence with because in both formal and informal communication.

In formal writing, a pronoun should appear after rather than before the noun it refers to in a sentence.

In formal writing, avoid sentence fragments. Prefer to convey complete meaning by writing complete sentences.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Academic writing
• Taboo words in academic writing

Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing

Published on February 6, 2016 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on September 11, 2023.

When you are writing a dissertation , thesis, or research paper, many words and phrases that are acceptable in conversations or informal writing are considered inappropriate in academic writing .

You should try to avoid expressions that are too informal, unsophisticated, vague, exaggerated, or subjective, as well as those that are generally unnecessary or incorrect.

Bear in mind, however, that these guidelines do not apply to text you are directly quoting from your sources (including interviews ).

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

Table of contents

Too informal, too exaggerated, too subjective, generally incorrect, other interesting articles.

Academic writing is generally more formal than the writing we see in non-academic materials (including on websites). It is also more formal than the ways in which we normally speak. The following words and phrases are considered too informal for a dissertation or academic paper.

Informal sentence starts

Some words are acceptable in certain contexts, but become too informal when used at the beginning of a sentence. You can replace these with appropriate  transition words  or simply remove them from the sentence.

Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services

Discover proofreading & editing

Using vague terms makes your writing imprecise and may cause people to interpret it in different ways. Always try to be as specific as possible.

Academic writing is usually unadorned and direct. Some adverbs of frequency (such as always and never ) and intensifiers (words that create emphasis, such as really ) are often too dramatic. They may also not be accurate – you’re making a significant claim when you say something is perfect or never happens.

These terms do sometimes add value, but try to use them sparingly.

Some words and phrases reveal your own bias. For instance, if you state that something will obviously happen, you are indicating that you think the occurrence is obvious – not stating a fact.

Expressing your opinion is appropriate in certain sections of a dissertation and in particular types of academic texts (such as personal statements and reflective or argumentative essays ). In most cases, though, take care when using words and phrases such as those below – try to let the facts speak for themselves, or emphasize your point with less biased language.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
• Vague sentences
• Style consistency

See an example

Certain words and phrases are often used incorrectly, even by native speakers of a language. If you’re exposed to such mistakes often enough, you may start to assume they are correct – but it’s important that you don’t let them creep into your writing.

You should also bear in mind that some of these mistakes relate to things we all frequently mishear (for instance, we often think the speaker is saying would of instead of would have ).

In general, you should also try to avoid using words and phrases that fall into the following categories:

• Jargon (i.e., “insider” terminology that may be difficult for readers from other fields to understand)
• Clichés (i.e., expressions that are heavily overused, such as think outside of the box and at the end of the day )
• Everyday abbreviations (e.g., approx. , ASAP, corona, stats, info )
• Slang (e.g., cops , cool )
• Gender-biased language   (e.g., firemen , mankind )
• Generally unnecessary (e.g., redundant expressions that do not add meaning, such as compete with each other instead of simply compete)

Reflective reports and  personal statements  sometimes have a less formal tone. In these types of writing, you may not have to follow these guidelines as strictly. The preface or acknowledgements of a dissertation also often have a less formal and more personal voice than the rest of the document.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy
• Deep learning
• Generative AI
• Machine learning
• Reinforcement learning
• Supervised vs. unsupervised learning

 (AI) Tools

• Grammar Checker
• Paraphrasing Tool
• Text Summarizer
• AI Detector
• Plagiarism Checker
• Citation Generator

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Vinz, S. (2023, September 11). Words and Phrases to Avoid in Academic Writing. Scribbr. Retrieved April 2, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/taboo-words/

Is this article helpful?

Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

Other students also liked

Transition words & phrases | list & examples, list of 47 phrasal verbs and their one-word substitutions, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

The proper way to use “Because”

by Bailey Bischoff

“NEVER use ‘because’ to start a sentence!” is an oft-spoken refrain of middle school English teachers. These well-meaning teachers drill this phrase into children’s heads because they don’t want children to write sentence fragments like this: “I was sad. Because the dog ran away.” The second “sentence” is actually a fragment as the initial “because” makes the phrase a dependent clause, and a dependent clause depends (you can think of it as leaning) on an independent clause for support.

An independent clause is a sentence with both a subject and a verb that can stand on its own. However, dependent clauses cannot stand on their own and need an independent clause to accompany them. In essence, if you start a sentence with a dependent clause (as I have here), make sure a comma and an independent clause follow it. This rule helps explain why it can actually be okay to start a sentence with “because.”

It is grammatically incorrect to write, “I was sad. Because the dog ran away.” However, one can write, “Because the dog ran away, I was sad.”

Because* – Dependent clause – Comma – Independent Clause.

Your sentences can grow from there to include more complex ideas, such as those required in your academic papers: Because the conquistadors colonized Latin America through the use of institutionalized slavery and encomiendas, a hierarchical societal system was put into place, the remains of which can still be seen today.

Because you are no longer in middle school, feel free to use “because” at the beginning of sentences (just as long as you follow it up with a comma and an independent clause).

*If you want to know more about other words like “because,” words that frequently start dependent clauses, do a search for “subordinating conjunctions” and you will find such words as “although, if, when, even though, in order to,” and more. Here’s a link to more information on subordinating conjunctions:

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/1/37/

Bailey Bischoff is a sophomore majoring in political science and has just been elected student body president.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

• Jan 19, 2021

Can You Start a Sentence with “Because”? Well, It Depends

Here’s a question that I've been asking myself for quite a long time. Why was it that in school I was told to never start a sentence with because , while I kept on seeing professional writers do it all the time? Sentences starting with because turn up in novels, blogs , articles—and everywhere in between.

Have we all been tricked? Is there a secret that only elite writers know? Let’s see if we can work this one out.

The rule is that you can’t start a sentence with “because” as it should only be used to join the main clause with a dependent clause. Otherwise, you end up with a fragmented sentence.

Exception: When you flip the order of your clauses and put a comma between them, your sentence will start with “because” and still be correct.

In conversational English, fragmented sentences tend to be more accepted and can make a point stand out.

The historical rule: You cannot start a sentence with “because”

Let’s first try and understand where our school teachers were coming from. Because is a subordinate conjunction word, which means it is used to join a main clause to a subordinate (or dependent) clause.

For example, let’s break down the following: “Jason went for a run because he needed to get fit for football season”. This sentence is made up of two distinct parts (or clauses):

“Jason went for a run...”: You can immediately tell it’s the main clause because it can work as a complete sentence by itself, even if you remove it from the original text.

“... because he needed to get fit for football season” is the subordinate clause: If you try and isolate it, you immediately see that it looks incomplete and doesn’t make much sense.

The use of because joins the two clauses and makes it a new, complete sentence.

Now let’s take a look at the two clauses if we were to separate them with a period: “Jason went for a run. Because he needed to get fit for football season.”

This version is wrong because the second sentence is what we call a fragmented or incomplete sentence. It leaves us feeling like there’s more we need to know about getting fit for football season.

Exception 1: Flipping the order of the sentence

The case is made: You can’t start a sentence with because . Actually, things are a bit more nuanced than that. This is where you discover the formula that your teachers were keeping secret. It all has to do with flipping the order of the sentence and adding a simple comma.

If you start your sentence with the dependent clause (“Because…”) and introduce your main clause with a comma, you would have just created a sentence without fragments. The comma serves as a necessary link between the two clauses, ensuring that they work together as one meaningful piece of information.

It’s simpler if we take a look at our example sentence:

“ Because Jason needed to get fit for football season , he went for a run.”

As you can see, we flipped the order of the sentence and added a magic comma. It becomes a complete sentence with no fragments, so even your English teacher would have to say it’s correct.

Exception 2: In conversational English

The English language has changed over the centuries. In today’s world, it is becoming more and more acceptable to bend, and sometimes, break grammar rules. For instance, if you want your writing to come across as conversational, then it may be acceptable to start a fragmented sentence with because .

For example:

“Why was he allowed to eat the ice cream? Because I said so.”

“She succeeded in her new role because of her grit. Because of her grit alone.”

You’ll find examples of this everywhere, from Bon Jovi’s song title “Because We Can” to countless novels where dialogue takes place. These types of sentences can have a powerful impact and make a point stand out.

In a nutshell

So, can you use because at the start of a sentence?

Yes, but only in the two following cases:

When you flip the order of your sentence and join the two clauses with a comma.

In conversational English—where incomplete sentences are more acceptable—if the sentence starting with because immediately follows the main clause.

Looking to start a blog ? Wix has got your covered with thousands of design features, built-in SEO and marketing tools, that will allow you to scale your content, your brand and your business with their blog maker.

Josh Weinberger, Marketing Writer at Wix

An Aussie boy living in Israel who loves words, football (soccer for you Americans), music and time with the fam.

• Grammar & Style

Recent Posts

“Alumnus”, “Alumni”, “Alumna”, “Alumnae”: What's the Difference?

What Is a Metaphor? Definition and Examples

“Master’s Degree” or “Masters Degree”: Which Is It?

• Grammar & vocab

Because (examples, how to use)

• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

마산출장마사지 - June 20, 2023, 11:41 am Reply

I was able to find good advice from your articles.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published.

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong>

Notify me of new posts by email.

Related Posts

• As usual (examples, how to use)
• As soon as: conjunction (examples, how to use)
• Elementary vocabulary exercise (A1 level): opposites of verbs
• Subject-verb inversion after adverbs, adverbial phrases
• Besides (examples, how to use)
• Although, even though vs. despite (examples, how to use)
• Weather idioms
• All, the whole (examples, how to use)
• Just (examples, how to use)
• Within (examples, how to use)

No products in the cart.

12 Ways To Replace The Word ‘BECAUSE’

Many words or phrases can be used to set up an explanation. The most common and really REALLY overused one is “because”. Please encourage your child to stop using that word in his school compositions if he wants to score a little bit higher.

Here are 12 alternatives to replace “because” and their merits.

“As” is a direct synonym for “because” (for example, “He decided not to go see the movie, as he found out his nemesis was going as well”), but it’s not exactly much better.

2. AS A RESULT OF

This phrase is a substitute for “because of”, not because, as in “As a result of his insatiable appetite, all the dishes on the table were wiped clean within seconds.”

3. AS LONG AS

This informal equivalent of “because” is used to express the thought that given that one thing is occurring or will occur or is true, another is possible, in such statements as “As long as you’re going to the supermarket, could you help me buy 5 watermelons?”

4. BEING AS (OR BEING AS HOW OR BEING THAT)

This phrase has the same sense — and the same formality — as “as long as”.

5. CONSIDERING THAT

This phrase is essentially identical in meaning to “as long as” and “being as” and its variants.

This substitute for “because” is reserved for poetic usage, as in “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”

7. NOW THAT

This phrase informally connotes cause and effect, as in “Now that Mrs Tan here, we can submit our homework.”

This phrase applies to explanations of emotion or feeling — for example, “She asked out of compassion” or “Out of spite, I refrained from passing the message along.”

9. SEEING THAT

This phrase is identical to “considering that.”

“Since” primarily refers to elapsed time, as in “Since it had rained, we didn’t need to water the garden.”

11. THANKS TO

This equivalent of “because of,” despite the wording, can apply to either a positive or a negative outcome; “Thanks to your involvment, the teacher is now watching our every move” demonstrates the latter sense.

12. THROUGH

Through is a preposition; it takes the place of “because of,” as in “Through the efforts of the teachers, all the students did well in the final year exams.”

For over 15 years,  Augustine’s English Classes  has helped hundreds of students fall in love with the subject and excelling in school exams. If you are interested to know how our classes work, or what our secret winning formula is, do feel free to drop us a message or give us a call.

Our Registration Is Open For 2023 Classes

Recent articles.

Students’ Work: Being Greedy

Students’ Work: An Act of Kindness

Students’ Work: Jumping to Conclusions

Students’ Work: A Crime

3 Common English Mistakes People Make

Like us on facebook.

QUICK LINKS

• (+65) 6816 7868
• [email protected]

Marine Parade 86 Marine Parade Central  #04-302 Singapore 440086

© Copyright 2023 – MOE Registered English Tuition Centre Singapore Voted #1 English Tuition Class

Connect with

Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

• Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
• Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
• Never include personal opinion.
• Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

• Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
• Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
• Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

• Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
• References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
• Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on  writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

• Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

• Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. 

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence. 

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!” 

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective. 

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.” 

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work. 

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns. 

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.” 

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.” 

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces. 

 You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

Quetext is a platform that helps you with all those tasks. Check out all resources that are available to you today.

Sign Up for Quetext Today!

Click below to find a pricing plan that fits your needs.

You May Also Like

Can You Go to Jail for Plagiarism?

• Posted on March 22, 2024 March 22, 2024

Empowering Educators: How AI Detection Enhances Teachers’ Workload

• Posted on March 14, 2024

The Ethical Dimension | Navigating the Challenges of AI Detection in Education

• Posted on March 8, 2024

How to Write a Thesis Statement & Essay Outline

• Posted on February 29, 2024 February 29, 2024

The Crucial Role of Grammar and Spell Check in Student Assignments

• Posted on February 23, 2024 February 23, 2024

Revolutionizing Education: The Role of AI Detection in Academic Integrity

• Posted on February 15, 2024

How Reliable are AI Content Detectors? Which is Most Reliable?

• Posted on February 8, 2024 February 8, 2024

What Is an Article Spinner?

• Posted on February 2, 2024 February 2, 2024

Input your search keywords and press Enter.