🧠 TOEIC Trap: Because vs Because Of — The One-Second Check That Saves the Point

You’re halfway through the TOEIC test.
Eyes tired. Clock ticking.

A simple-looking sentence pops up:

The event was delayed ___ the heavy rain.

You know the meaning. You know both words.
Both answers feel right.

That’s the trap — and it quietly robs thousands of test-takers every year.
Here’s how to kill it in one second.

🎯 Why TOEIC Wins This Point

TOEIC loves giving you two answers that sound fine.
You pick the one that matches the meaning.

That’s exactly how they win.

They don’t care about your meaning.
They care about what comes after the blank.
The structure — not the story.

💣 The One-Second Trigger

Ask yourself instantly:

“What comes after — is it a thing, or is it a sentence?”

  • Thing → choose because of

  • Sentence → choose because

That’s it. One decision. One point saved.

👇 Watch It in Action

✅ Correct

He left early because he was sick.
(“he was sick” is a full sentence) → because

✅ Correct

He left early because of illness.
(“illness” is just a thing) → because of

❌ Wrong

He left early because of he was sick.
(Mixing “because of” with a full sentence) — trap.

🧪 TOEIC-Style Practice

Q1. She was absent ___ a medical emergency.
A) because B) because of
🧠 “a medical emergency” = thing → ✅ B

Q2. She was absent ___ she had a medical emergency.
A) because B) because of
🧠 “she had…” = sentence → ✅ A

Q3. We had to cancel ___ the bad weather.
A) because B) because of
🧠 “the bad weather” = thing → ✅ B

Q4. We had to cancel ___ it was snowing hard.
A) because B) because of
🧠 “it was snowing…” = sentence → ✅ A

📝 Your Turn

Fill each blank with because or because of.
Use the one-second check: thing → because of / sentence → because.

  1. I was late ___ the traffic jam.

  2. I was late ___ there was a traffic jam.

  3. They postponed the trip ___ rain.

  4. They postponed the trip ___ it rained heavily.

Answer Key + Coaching

  1. ✅ because of — “the traffic jam” is a thing.

  2. ✅ because — “there was a traffic jam” is a sentence.

  3. ✅ because of — “rain” is a thing.

  4. ✅ because — “it rained heavily” is a sentence.

🔁 Takeaway Rule

When you see because / because of, don’t think about meaning.
Just pause and check: thing or sentence?
That’s the fastest way to beat this trap.

Final Word

This is a structure trap, not a vocabulary test.
Spot the pattern, make the call, take the point.

For more strategies and resources to master TOEIC sentence structure traps, visit the English Library Collection and start locking in structure confidence today.

🔍 SEO FAQ — Because vs Because of What is the difference between “because” and “because of”? “Because” is followed by a full sentence. “Because of” is followed by a noun or noun phrase. How can I know if I should use “because” or “because of”? Check what comes after: if it’s a sentence with a subject and verb, use “because.” If it’s just a noun, use “because of.” Can I say “because of he was late”? No. That’s incorrect. Use “because he was late” or “because of his lateness.” Is “because of” always followed by a noun? Yes. “Because of” must be followed by a noun or noun phrase, not a full sentence. Can I start a sentence with “because of”? Yes. For example: “Because of the storm, the meeting was canceled.” What’s wrong with “because of it was raining”? It’s incorrect because “because of” cannot be followed by a sentence. Use “because it was raining” or “because of the rain.” How do I avoid the ‘because vs because of’ mistake in TOEIC? Look at what comes after the blank. If there’s a verb, use “because.” If not, use “because of.” Which is more formal: because or because of? Both are neutral in tone. Neither is considered more formal in TOEIC. Is it okay to use “due to” instead of “because of”? Sometimes yes, but TOEIC tests them separately. Use “because of” unless you’re sure. Can “because” come at the beginning of a sentence? Yes. For example: “Because he was late, we started without him.” What’s the TOEIC trick with “because” and “because of”? TOEIC gives you both as choices. The trick is to test your understanding of structure, not just meaning. Why does “because of” need a noun? It’s a fixed phrase that connects to a cause, not a full action. Is “because of rain” correct? Yes. “Rain” is a noun, so this is a correct use of “because of.” Is “because it rained” correct? Yes. That’s a proper use of “because” followed by a full sentence. Can I use “because” without a subject? No. “Because” must be followed by a subject and verb. Can I say “The match was postponed because the rain”? No. That’s incorrect. It should be “because of the rain” or “because it rained.” Why did TOEIC mark “because of he was late” as wrong? Because you used “because of” with a sentence. It should be “because he was late” or “because of his lateness.” What part of TOEIC tests “because vs because of”? Mainly Part 5 (grammar fill-ins) and sometimes in Part 3/4 listening. Is there a shortcut to check between “because” and “because of”? Yes. If what follows could be a full sentence, use “because.” If it’s just a noun, use “because of.” Can I just memorize examples to get this right? That helps, but spotting whether what follows is a sentence or not is faster and more reliable.
Colour image of a person playing chess with a timer reflecting the need t o make decisions quickly under test pressure.