Giving Reasons: Because and So

What you’ll learn

Connect an action with its reason or result using because and so.

ភ្ជាប់សកម្មភាពជាមួយមូលហេតុ ឬលទ្ធផល ដោយប្រើ because និង so។

Meaning and use

Because introduces a reason: We stayed home because it rained. So introduces a result: It rained, so we stayed home. Check which part tells why and which part tells what happened as a result. A because clause can come first in a complete sentence: Because it rained, we stayed home. In standard English, do not normally put both because and so around the same reason/result pair. A short Because... answer can be natural in conversation, but a full written statement needs the main idea too.

Because ណែនាំមូលហេតុ ហើយ so ណែនាំលទ្ធផល។ ត្រូវសម្គាល់ថាផ្នែកណាប្រាប់ហេតុអ្វី និងផ្នែកណាប្រាប់លទ្ធផល។ ឃ្លា because អាចនៅដើមប្រយោគបាន ប៉ុន្តែត្រូវមានគំនិតមេបំពេញ។ ក្នុងភាសាអង់គ្លេសស្តង់ដារ ជាទូទៅមិនប្រើ because និង so ព្រមគ្នាសម្រាប់គូហេតុផល និងលទ្ធផលដូចគ្នាទេ។

Grammar patterns

Pattern	Example or form
Main idea + because + reason	We stayed home because it rained.
Reason + so + result	It rained, so we stayed home.
Because at the start	Because it rained, we stayed home.
A conversation answer	Why are you tired? Because I worked late.

Examples

1. I am tired because I worked late.

   ខ្ញុំអស់កម្លាំង ព្រោះខ្ញុំធ្វើការដល់យប់ជ្រៅ។

2. It rained, so we stayed home.

   មេឃបានភ្លៀង ដូច្នេះយើងនៅផ្ទះ។

3. She is studying because she has a test tomorrow.

   នាងកំពុងរៀន ព្រោះនាងមានការប្រឡងថ្ងៃស្អែក។

4. The shop was closed, so we went home.

   ហាងបានបិទ ដូច្នេះយើងបានត្រឡប់ទៅផ្ទះ។

Everyday conversation

Maly: Why are you tired?

Dara: Because I worked late.

Maly: Do you want to read now?

Dara: I’m tired, so I’ll rest first.

Common mistakes

Instead of	Use	Why
Because it rained, so we stayed home.	Because it rained, we stayed home.	Do not normally use because and so for the same pair of clauses.
I stayed home because of it rained.	I stayed home because it rained.	Use because before the clause it rained. Because of is followed by a noun phrase, such as the rain.

Practice

Try these questions before opening the answers. Write or say each answer.

សាកល្បងឆ្លើយសំណួរទាំងនេះជាមុនសិន មុននឹងបើកមើលចម្លើយ។ អ្នកអាចសរសេរ ឬនិយាយចម្លើយរបស់អ្នក។

1. Complete with the reason connector: We stayed home ___ it rained.
2. Complete with the result connector: It rained, ___ we stayed home.
3. Correct as a full sentence: Because I was tired, so I went home.
4. Which part gives the reason in She is happy because she passed the test?

Answers and explanations

Show answers / បង្ហាញចម្លើយ

1. because

   Because introduces the reason it rained.

2. so

   So introduces the result we stayed home.

3. Because I was tired, I went home. / I was tired, so I went home.

   Use one connection pattern for this reason/result pair.

4. she passed the test

   The clause after because explains why she is happy.

Quick recap

• Because introduces a reason; so introduces a result.
• A because clause can come before or after the main clause.
• Avoid because ... so for the same reason/result pair in standard English.