Because vs. Because of
"Because" vs. "Because of": Understanding the Difference Because At a Glance "Because" introduces reasons. "Because of" introduces reasons. "Because" is a conjunction. "Because of" is a preposition. "Because" is followed by a subject and verb: e.g., She was late because she missed the bus. "Because of" is followed by a noun, noun phrase, or gerund: eg. She was late because of the heavy traffic. Informally, "because" can act as a preposition: e.g., "Because reasons." "Because" can be an interjection with "just": e.g., "Just because!" Synonyms for "because" include "since," "as," and "due to the fact that." Synonyms for "because of" include ...