Grammar-Quizzes › Connectors › Connective Prepositions › Because Reduced Clause

Because Reduced Clause

Express cause in a shortened clause

Because + reason clause → Reduced Reason Clause (-ing)

BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE
Because is followed by a clause expressing a reason for the effect in the other (main) clause. In other words, because is followed by a full (finite clause) clause. Because an its reason clause can be placed before the main clause for emphasis on the cause.
BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Because Tom worked so hard,	he earned a good salary. (same subject in both clauses )
Because Tom needed help,	he hired an office assistant. (same subject in both clauses )

REDUCED REASON CLAUSE
When the subject of both clauses refers to the same noun, then the reason clause can be replaced with a nonfinite clause (gerund, -ing) and positioned directly before the noun it modifies. A comma separates the clause from the main clause. Because is omitted if the cause-effect relationship can be understood from the context.
MODIFYING CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Working so hard, modifies Tom	Tom earned a good salary.
Needing help, modifies Tom	Tom hired an office assistant.

Because is the head preposition of the connective prepositional phrase, which takes by a full clause (finite) or a reduced -ing clause (gerund-participle nonfinite clause) as its required complement. [because (P) + Tom worked so hard. (clause) = PrepPhrs) → Working so hard (gerund-particle nonfinite clause).

A finite clause may stand alone as a complete sentence. The clause has a subject and a verb that can be inflected (suffixed) for tense or 3rd person.

A nonfinite clause cannot stand on its own. It rarely includes a subject and the verb cannot be inflected for tense or person. A nonfinite clause may serve as a subject or a complement to a verb, or preposition or noun (as a modifier). It takes form as an infinitival (to) work, gerund-participle -ing or past participle clause -ed.

A Reduced Reason Clause

At end of sentence

Ending a sentence

MODIFYING SUBJECT
A comma separates a subject-modifying clause placed at the end of the main clause. This is informal use – it is always preferable to place the clause next to the noun it modifies.
MAIN CLAUSE	MODIFYING CLAUSE
*Tom succeeded,	working long hours. modifies Tom
Tom hired an office assistant,	needing help. unclear — who needs help?

MODIFYING OBJECT
No comma is used when an object-modifying clause is placed immediately after the noun it modifies and when it is an identifying clause (required to know exactly which one.)
MAIN CLAUSE	MODIFYING CLAUSE
Tom hired an office assistant	needing work. modifies the assistant
*Tom hired Fred,	needing work.

* More formal: Working long hours, Tom hired an office assistant.
Related pages Identifying Clauses Misrelated Clauses

Reduced Reason Clause

Be Verbs

FULL CLAUSE
A reason clause that (1) includes a be verb and (2) has the same subject as the main clause can be reduced to a modifying clause with being. The events occur at the same time.
BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Because Tom is sick,	he is unable to work.
MAIN CLAUSE	BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE
Tom is unable to work	because Tom is sick. (same-time events)

REDUCED CLAUSE
The be verb in the reason clause is changed to being. The clause is more commonly placed before the clause, immediately before the noun it modifies.
MODIFYING CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Being sick,	Tom is unable to work.
MAIN CLAUSE	MODIFYING CLAUSE
Tom is unable to work,	being sick.¹

¹Also called a dangling modifier or dangling participle. See Misrelated Clauses.

Because

Contrasting Past Events

Participle Phrases — having verb+ed

FULL CLAUSE
A reason clause may indicate an earlier time or event. The clause can be reduced when both clauses refer to the same subject.
BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Because Tom had been working so hard , earlier	he needed a vacation. later
V	BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE
Tom needed a vacation	because he had been working so hard.

REDUCED CLAUSE
The reduced reason clause with the earlier event includes the gerund-participle form of the verb having verb+ed. A comma separates the clauses.
MODIFYING CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Having worked so hard, earlier	Tom needed a vacation. later
MAIN CLAUSE	MODIFYING CLAUSE
Tom needed a vacation	having worked so hard.

Participle Phrases — having been

FULL "BE" CLAUSE
A reason clause with a be verb may indicate an earlier time or event. The clause can be reduced when both clauses refer to the same subject.
BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Because Tom had been ill the night before,	he was unable to work the next day.
MAIN CLAUSE	BECAUSE + REASON CLAUSE
Tom was unable to work	because he had been ill the night before.

REDUCED "BE" CLAUSE
A reduced reason clause with a be verb and with an earlier event includes the gerund-participle form of the verb having been. A comma separates the clauses.
MODIFYING CLAUSE	MAIN CLAUSE
Having been ill, earlier	Tom was unable to work. later
MAIN CLAUSE	MODIFYING CLAUSE
Tom was unable to work later	having been ill. earlier

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

Error and Solution

ERROR
*Wearing so little, Elmo seems embarrassed by Katy's dress. The subject of the "wearing so little" is unclear. Is it Elmo or Katy? Pop-Q "because"
*Working so hard, she doesn't have to work. The subject of the 'working so hard' is unclear. Who is doing the work, she or someone else?

ERROR

*Wearing so little, Elmo seems embarrassed by Katy's dress.

The subject of the "wearing so little" is unclear. Is it Elmo or Katy?

Pop-Q "because"

*Working so hard, she doesn't have to work.
The subject of the 'working so hard' is unclear. Who is doing the work, she or someone else?

SOLUTION
Wearing so little, Katy seems to embarrass Elmo with her skimpy dress Because Katy is wearing so little, Elmo seems to be embarrassed by her dress. Elmo is embarrassed by Katy [because she is] wearing so little.
Because he is working so hard, she doesn't have to work. If the subject of the two clauses is different, the clause cannot be shortened. Also, replace a pronoun with a noun if the pronoun is not clearly identified in a previous sentence. (missing antecedent)

*Yellow highlighting marks an example of incorrect usage.

Practice

Nesting Birds

Shorten the reason (cause) clause.

Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the feedback by clicking the "check" or "check 1-10" button.

a safe place to lay its eggs, a bird builds a nest.

Feedback 1

its eggs, a bird will sit on them to keep them warm.

Feedback 2

warmth, the mother birds surrounds them with a feathery lining of her own feathers.

Feedback 3

rapidly, the little birds are constantly hungry.

Feedback 4

parents, the birds fly around in search of food to feed their little birds.

Feedback 5

so hungry, the little birds 'chirp' constantly.

Feedback 6

for food, the baby birds get lots to eat.

Feedback 7

rapidly, the young birds soon leave the nest.

Feedback 8

natural fliers, birds learn to take short flights after a couple of tries.

Feedback 9

10.

so much time in their parents' protection, baby birds are often victims of larger prey.

prey (N) – a bird-eating animal

Feedback 10