“Because” is a word that is often misused in writing. “Because” is a connecting word, connecting an independent clause with a dependent clause in a sentence. If you use it, you must connect two ideas. For example,
I went to bed because I was tired.
“I went to bed” is the independent clause. “Because I was tired” is the dependent clause. “Because” is the connecting word.
Teachers tell students that they cannot start a sentence with “because.” Actually, they can, if they connect the “because” clause to an independent clause. For example,
Because I was tired, I went to bed. (This is a perfectly good sentence.)
The problem is that many kids forget to add the independent clause. Let’s look at three problems and how to solve them.
1. Suppose a reading question asks you to tell why the dinosaurs died. You write, “Because a meteor hit the earth.” This is a good fact but bad grammar. “Because a meteor hit the earth” is not a sentence. It is part of a sentence. You need to add an independent clause to make it a complete sentence. If you write, “Because a meteor hit the earth, the dinosaurs died,” now you have a sentence.
2. If you find yourself starting what you think are sentences with the word “because,” there is an easy way to fix those mistakes. Just cross out the word “Because” and put a capital letter on the next word.
Why did Harry Potter go to Hogwarts School?
Because he wanted to be a wizard. (Cross out Because and capitalize He.)
3. Cause and Because are not the same thing. In writing, you cannot use “cause” if you mean “because.” Cause is a verb or a noun. Because is a subordinate conjunction (a connecting word.)
I went home cause I felt sick. Wrong. I went home because I felt sick. Correct.
If you are writing dialog, write the way people speak even if their grammar is wrong. Write ’cause when the speaker says “cause” meaning because. The apostrophe indicates some letters are missing.
Good writers make their endings strong, too. Good writers know how to make a reader smile or nod with satisfaction at the end of a piece of writing.
Good writers organize their articles and stories so that readers can follow along without getting lost or confused. Good writers use topic sentences that tell the reader what to expect. They use transition words like “first,” “next,” and “finally.” Or they use chronological order, including time words such as “in the morning,” and “later that same day.” Notice how this first grader began a fairy tale using transitions.
Good writers don’t just tell something, they show it. In informational essays, good writers give examples to show what they mean. In narratives, good writers show a character acting, such as his hand wiping away a tear, or his foot tapping, so that the reader can judge for herself if a character is sad or excited. Here is how a kindergartener showed a character.
Good writers use sentences that are varied and interesting. They vary the verbs in sentences, begin sentences with different words and different parts of speech and write some long sentences and some short sentences. Notice how this sixth grader starts an essay with a 20-word sentence followed by a six-word sentence. He starts with a prepositional phrase but the next sentence begins with an adverb.
Good writers write for the ear, not the eye. Good writers read their writing aloud and listen for ideas that are not clear. If characters are speaking, good writers make characters dialog sound different from one another. Since most people don’t talk in complete sentences, good writers have their characters speak naturally, even if that breaks rules of grammar. Notice how a second grader uses dialog to explain what a book is about.
Good writers elaborate; they try to share a lot of information and detail. Good writers provide lots of detail—numbers, dates, seasons, days of the week, proper nouns, dialog, sensory information, and examples. Good writers put themselves in the shoes of the reader and provide the information that a reader needs even if the writer already understands it. See how that same second grader uses detail.
Good writers get their facts right, even when they are writing fiction. In passages about science or social studies, good writers use the proper vocabulary. They check their facts online or by talking to experts. They go over their writing to be sure names are consistent and numbers are accurate. Read how a first grader uses scientific facts which she researched.
Good writers should know when to quit. Good writing is concise writing. The writer needs to trust that the reader will understand the first time if the writing is clear enough, so repetition isn’t necessary. And that’s why I am going to stop now. –Mrs. K
That teacher, Leilen Shelton, has also written a book, Banishing Boring Words, purchased, presumably, by people who don’t write for a living.
English Writing Teacher 