What Does "owing to" Mean?
- Grammatical function: It expresses a relationship of cause or reason. It functions as a complex preposition, linking an effect to its underlying cause.
- Typical sentence position: It most commonly appears in the medial position (following the main clause) or the initial position (introducing the reason before the main clause).
- Register: It is primarily formal. It is frequently found in journalism, academic papers, legal documents, and professional correspondence.
How to Use It
- Syntactic patterns: "Owing to" must be followed by a noun phrase or a gerund (-ing form). It cannot be followed directly by a subject-verb clause.
- Punctuation rules: When used at the beginning of a sentence, a comma should follow the "owing to" phrase. When used medially, a comma is often optional but can be used for emphasis or to manage long sentences.
- Grammatical flexibility: It can start a sentence to emphasize the cause, or follow a form of the verb "to be" (e.g., "The delay was owing to...").
- What sounds unnatural: Using it in very casual conversation or following it with a full sentence (e.g., owing to he was late) is incorrect.
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from owing to on Ludwig.guru.
"Turnout was low, owing to the snow." — economist.com
"The project has already been delayed owing to IT problems." — theguardian.com
"JLR's profits have fallen owing to declining demand in China." — theguardian.com
"In 2002, the project was cancelled, owing to budget cuts." — newyorker.com
"This is, of course, owing to the rise of academies." — theguardian.com
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/owing+to
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| because of |
The most common neutral alternative used in both speech and writing. |
| due to |
Very similar in formality; traditionally used after a noun or the verb 'to be'. |
| on account of |
Formal and slightly more wordy; often used to explain a specific decision. |
| thanks to |
Used when the cause has a positive result, though sometimes used sarcastically. |
| as a result of |
Focuses on the consequence or outcome of a specific event. |
| by virtue of |
Extremely formal; suggests the cause has the legal or inherent power to produce the effect. |
Common Mistakes
- Clause vs. Noun Phrase: A frequent error is treating it like a conjunction. You cannot say "owing to the weather was bad"; instead, use "owing to the bad weather."
- Confusion with 'Due to': While often interchangeable, some traditionalists argue owing to should only be used as an adverbial phrase, while due to should follow a noun.
- Sentence-Initial Structure: Learners often use it at the beginning of a sentence to mean 'Because', but it must be followed by a noun phrase rather than a full clause.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Function |
Register |
Typical Position |
| owing to |
Cause/Reason |
Formal |
Initial or Medial |
FAQs
Can I use owing to at the beginning of a sentence?
Yes, owing to can be used in the sentence-initial position to introduce the reason for an action. When doing so, you must ensure the phrase is followed by a noun phrase and separated from the main clause by a comma.
What is the difference between owing to and because of?
While both express causality, owing to is significantly more formal and better suited for professional or academic writing. In contrast, because of is a versatile neutral expression used in everyday conversation and informal contexts.
Is it correct to follow owing to with a subject and a verb?
No, this is a common grammatical error. Learners often use it to mean 'Because', but owing to must be followed by a noun phrase rather than a full clause. For example, use "owing to the rain" instead of "owing to it was raining."