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Language choices for giving a reason vary widely
NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF REASONS
Reasons rank alongside consequences, examples, comparisons, exceptions and definitions as a key feature of factual and theoretical writing. They are especially important in argumentation (see 167. Ways of Arguing 1). Like other key writing features, they can be expressed in a wide variety of ways, some very basic and some quite esoteric. This post attempts to survey the main possibilities, indicating subtle differences of grammar and meaning that sometimes occur.
First, however, there is a need to establish clearly what is meant by a “reason”. Obviously, reasons say why. However, that is not enough to define them since purposes, motives, explanations and causes do the same.
A purpose is a future event or situation that a living being seeks to achieve through behaving in a particular way (see 60. Purpose Sentences with “for”). A motive is similar, but involves a more personal future gratification (see 276. Tricky Word Contrasts 11, #3). Reasons too may be either an event or a situation causing an action, but this may be either past or future, and there does not have to be any living being involved.
If “reason” is a wider term than “purpose” and “motive”, it is narrower than “explanation”: what is explained is sometimes something other than a reason, such as a meaning. Moreover, “explanation” often involves a more detailed indication of why.
“Cause” is perhaps the closest in meaning to “reason”. It is an event or situation leading to the occurrence or existence of one after it. The main difference between a cause and a reason is the possible timing relative to the consequence: causes before it, reasons either before or after. This results in both cause and reason being usable to refer to what is clearly a cause, but only reason being usable when the timing is either unclear or in the future. Consider this:
(a) The reason for the delay was unclear.
Here, allowance is made for the delay resulting from either an obstruction like a traffic jam (where cause of would be equally usable), or a mind-based purpose like avoiding a speeding ticket (where cause of would be less likely).
An additional feature of reason is its preference in descriptions of logical thinking: one would normally, for example, refer to the basis of a conclusion or generalization as its reason rather than as its cause. This is one reason why reason-giving is so important in argument.
The association of reasons with outcomes or logical ideas usually means that giving a reason requires mention of one of these too. It is important to appreciate, though, that not all co-occurring mentions of a reason and a consequence can be described as “reason-giving”. Consider this:
(b) Traffic congestion is constant here, so a wider road is needed.
Although the underlined words are a reason for what is said after them, they could be dismissed as reason-giving because they are not understandable as a reason while they are being read. Their aim is to inform the reader of something that is not expected to be already known, as a prelude to naming its consequence with so (see 32. Expressing Consequences). One way to highlight these words as a reason would be by making them the second half of the sentence after because, with so dropped.
The consequence that needs to be mentioned with a reason may, like other kinds of “partner” information, be in the same or a neighbouring sentence.
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SINGLE-SENTENCE REASON GIVING
A reason given in the same sentence as its consequence may or may not come first. If it does, normally the only feature of it that is expected to be new information to the addressee will be its status as a reason for what follows. Moreover, it will not usually be the focus of the sentence (see 37. Subordination). Later-placed reasons, by contrast, may or may not have expected familiarity to the addressee, and they will tend to be the focus of the sentence.
There are various types of language that enable a reason and its consequence to co-occur in the same sentence.
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1. Conjunctions
In sentences starting with a reason, a reason-showing conjunction is usually the first word. It is likely to be as, if, because or since. Note the difference between the following uses of as:
(c) As lead is poisonous, it is no longer added to petrol.
(d) As unemployment increases, wages tend to fall.
In (c), as purely indicates a reason, whereas in (d) it also marks two events as simultaneous (see 225. Simultaneous Occurrence, #2). I consider only the use in (c) a true reason indicator. Only there can because be used without modifying the meaning.
If introduces a likely but not certain reason (see 179. Deeper Meanings of “if”, under “Likely Conditions”).
Since indicates a logically predictable reason. Both of the the following sentences (from 61. “Since” versus “Because”) allow because, but only one also feels natural with since:
(e) … the sun is hottest at the Equator, pressure is lowest there.
(f) … the defendants were provoked, they used violence.
Since seems to fit (e) better than (f) because the outcome (low pressure) is a logical and inevitable outcome of the reason. The outcome in (f) is neither of these: it is just one of many fairly predictable possibilities. Since would also be possible in (c), even though the outcome is not inevitable, in order to emphasise its logicality.
Three alternatives to since are granted that, given that and seeing that. The first marks the reason as information supplied by somebody else; the others perhaps highlight its established familiarity (see 230. Multi-Word Conjunctions, #1).
All of the above conjunctions are also usable in the middle of their sentence, before a sentence-ending reason. Two others – for and the reason being (that) – are only found in that position.
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2. Prepositions
Whereas reasons after a conjunction would without the conjunction be a complete sentence, those after a preposition would not (see 84. Seven Things to Know about Prepositions, #4). However, reasons after a preposition are more flexible: able to combine with a consequence in either an adverb-like way, like reasons after a conjunction, or an adjective-like way, with the consequence in noun form.
A typical reason preposition is because of. Compare how …because of the strength of the sun fits into each of the following:
(g) Pressure falls at the Equator…
(h) Low pressure at the Equator is…
The use in (g) is adverb-like, giving a reason for the action of the verb falls, whereas that in (h) is adjective-like, giving a reason for the noun idea low pressure (the two being linked by is: see 220. Features of Complements).
English has numerous prepositions that could indicate a reason. The majority – through, with, out of, because of, as a result of, due to, down to, over, owing to, on account of, thanks to, courtesy of – are also cause-showing. For a detailed overview, see 72. Causal Prepositions. In addition, there are behind (see the next section) and in view of (see 296. Tricky Word Contrasts 12, #4).
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3. Verbs
The verb BE, along with wording suggesting “reason”, is the simplest for indicating a reason alongside its consequence in a single sentence:
(i) Gravity is (the reason) why unsupported objects fall.
(j) Gravity is the reason for unsupported objects falling.
(k) Gravity is behind unsupported objects falling.
(l) The fall of unsupported objects is due to gravity.
In all these sentences, the reason (gravity) and its consequence comprise or belong to the subject and complement of is.
The why after reason in (i) is necessary because the subsequent words (specifying the reason) are a subject-verb statement. It must be mentioned if reason is dropped, but otherwise it can be left unmentioned but understood. In (j), why is replaced by the preposition for (not of!) because the following words (objects falling) are a noun phrase rather than a statement.
The idea of “reason” in (k) is in the preposition behind – an extension of its basic meaning (see 229. Metaphorical Prepositions). In (l), gravity is marked as a reason by the multi-word preposition due to.
In (i), (j) and (k), the underlined words are replaceable by explains. If (i) and (j) had a reason instead of the reason, helps to explain would be better. In (j) and (k), underlies is also possible. In (j), (k) and (l), is linked to is a further option, while (l) (which ends with the reason) additionally allows is attributed to and is explained by.
The active form of ATTRIBUTE…TO, along with less formal PUT…DOWN TO, is useful for reporting someone else’s mention of a reason (see the end of 150. Verb Choices with Reported Speech, #1).
Underlies seems especially suited to stative consequences, e.g. …underlies a desire for riches. For more about it, see 81. Tricky Word Contrasts 2, #6.
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NEW-SENTENCE REASON GIVING
A reason given in a separate sentence from its consequence usually follows it. Often, its reason-giving status will be understandable without the help of any special language (see 18. Relations between Sentences). However, help is possible with the following types of expression.
4. Connectors
Connectors are adverb-like indicators of a meaning link between adjacent sentences. They very commonly go at the start of their sentence before a comma, but most can also come later between two commas (see 40. Conjunctions versus Connectors). The main reason-giving connectors are this is because… and the reason is that…. Less common is it could be that… (see 289. Exotic Grammar Structures 8, #2).
When multiple reasons exist, signalling the first with for one thing shows this without necessarily requiring any more to be named. If more do need naming, though, they can follow in further sentences, common introducers being for another (thing), furthermore or moreover. Occasionally, instead of for one thing it may be necessary to say it is not just (that) (see 228. Exotic Grammar Structures 5, #2).
An alternative approach with multiple reason sentences is to start with a sentence indicating that multiple reasons exist and are about to be listed, and then to put each reason in a new sentence, along with a list connector like firstly, to begin with, secondly (etc.) or next. For examples, see 122. Signpost Words in Multi-Sentence Lists.
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5. Connector Synonyms
Many words can express the meaning of a connector without actually being one (see 112. Synonyms of Connectors). Consider, for example, the following use of link:
(m) Some people prefer to drink water from beneath the ground. They typically link this to the mineral content of such water.
All of the verbs listed in #3 above seem able, like LINK above, to accompany a new-sentence reason as well as a same-sentence one.
Many nouns are also able to act as a synonym of a reason connector. Common ones include basis, factor, grounds, justification, link, motivation, motive, reason and source.
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