Difference Between Because and Therefore

The words ‘because’ and ‘therefore’ are commonly used when the sentence involves a kind of reasoning or explanation.

‘Because’ can be used as a preposition and a conjunction, depending on the verb, subject, or noun followed. On the other hand, ‘therefore’ is a conjunctive adverb.

Key Takeaways

1. “Because” is a conjunction used to introduce the reason or cause of an action or event; “therefore” is an adverb used to indicate a conclusion or inference based on previously presented information.
2. “Because” shows causation, while “therefore” shows a logical consequence or result.
3. Both “because” and “therefore” help establish relationships between ideas, but “because” explains the cause or reason behind an event, while “therefore” presents a conclusion based on previous information.

Because vs. Therefore

The difference between because and therefore lies in their usage. ‘because’ is used to provide a direct and short reason or explanation for the matter at hand. ‘Therefore’ is used when the cause is already offered, and we wish to convey the result of that reason.

‘because’ and ‘Therefore’ are used separately whenever reasoning is involved in the sentence. However, their usage primarily depends on whether the reason is being provided (i.e., because)or the result of the reasoning is being conveyed (i.e., therefore).

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Comparison Table

Parameter of Comparison	Because	Therefore
Grammatical usage	It is used as a preposition when followed by a noun or a verb+ing. It is used as a conjunction when followed by a subject and a verb.	It is used as an adverb, commonly in run-off sentences.
Usage in a sentence	They are used as a conjunction(formal) and preposition(informal) to explain something.	They are used when providing a result of or in consequence of something. It refers to something that was previously stated.
Sample sentences	Conjunction(formal): “I could not make it to the movie because I was sick in bed.” Preposition(Informal): “The value of pie is 3.14 because of maths.”	Conjunctive adverb: “I have caught the flu. Therefore, I cannot make it to the meeting today.”
Synonyms	Because of, whereas, due to. These words are used to state a reason.	Accordingly, so, then, thus. These words take into account the reasons and state the result.
Concatenation of phrases	It is conjunction so that it can connect two words or clauses.	It is a conjunctive adverb that cannot connect two phrases or clauses.

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When to Use Because?

This word is used to show why something happens or to help answer a query with a definite reason – “The number of days in a year is 365 because that is the amount of time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun”.

The word ‘because’ can be used in two different forms:

1. Conjunction
2. Preposition

When considering the conjunction form of ‘because,’ we usually see the sentence as formal. It is noted that ‘because’ can only be used in this form when a subject and a verb follow it.

Example: “We were in quite a hurry as we rushed across the platform. We had arrived late to the station and almost missed our train because of the traffic we faced while driving. “

When considering the preposition form of ‘because,’ we use it in an informal sentence, unlike the conjunctive form; here, you cannot use ‘because’ to join two phrases or sentences.

Example: “Why is the earth so round? Because science” It is noted that because can also be used as subordinating conjunction to help form an adverb clause.

 

When to Use Therefore?

The word ‘therefore’ is an adverb. We use it in a sentence where a reason or explanation has already been provided and now wishes to convey its result or consequence.

Example– “There was a water leakage in the planetarium today. Therefore, they shall remain closed till Sunday. “

‘Therefore’ is commonly seen to be used to provide a conclusion to something previously stated and based on some form of logical reasoning.

The logical reasoning may differ based on whether it is true or not. Either way, ‘therefore’ can be used in both cases.

1. Example (truth) – “The color green in a stop signal indicates to proceed. Therefore, the cars accelerate and move forward when the light turns green.”
2. Example (False) – “Humans give birth to babies. Dogs also give birth to baby puppies. Therefore, humans and dogs are the same.” This statement is false as humans are sapiens, and dogs belong to Canis familiaris.

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Main Differences Between Because and Therefore

1. ‘Because’ can be used as either a conjunction or a preposition. ‘Therefore’ is used as a conjunctive adverb.
2. ‘Because’ conveys a reason for something or an explanation. ‘Therefore’ gives a conclusion to a previously stated reason.
3. ‘Because’ can join phrases, sentences, and clauses in their conjunctive form. ‘Therefore’ cannot be used to join two different phrases, sentences, or clauses.
4. ‘Because’ can answer a question where a reason is being asked, such as “why.” ‘Therefore’ can only be used in run-off sentences.
5. ‘Because’ can also be used to infer a fact already known and true. ‘Therefore’ can be used in sentences that contain both true and false logic.

References

1. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/therefore
2. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/because
3. https://www.thesaurus.com/browse/therefore