Editor's Corner

Good morning, to you all. Recently, while editing, I changed the word since to because, and the writer wondered why.

There are a number of situations when the word because is a better choice than the alternatives. What alternatives? Thanks for asking! Here are your answers:

· To avoid confusing your reader, use because instead of since.
The word since can mean either after that time or because. Using since in the sentence below might leave you wondering if we knew it was over because the fat lady sang or after the fat lady sang.

Instead of this:

Since the fat lady sang, we knew it was over.

Write this:

Because the fat lady sang, we knew it was over.

· To cut down on unnecessary wordiness, use the word because instead of the phrase due to the fact that.

Instead of this:

You cannot come to my party due to the fact that you always arrive too early.

Write this:

You cannot come to my party because you always arrive too early.

· To write more clearly, and to avoid sentences that sound stilted and stuffy, use because instead of as.

Instead of this:

Our manager gave us the option to work from home on stormy days as El Niño is causing so much flooding.

Write this:

Our manager gave us the option to work from home on stormy days because El Niño is causing so much flooding.

Donna Bradley Burcher | Senior Technical Editor | Symitar®

8985 Balboa Ave. | San Diego, CA 92123 | Ph. 619.278.0432 | Extension: 765432

Symitar Technical Publications Writing and Editing Requests

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