Ways to express reason and purpose:because, since, so that

because of, for,infinitive

because, since, so that

These are subordinators. Use them to combine two sentences a complex sentence with an adverb clause.

For example:

We came to the U.S. because our relatives were already here.He came here because he couldn’t find a job in his country.Many people cannot get immigrant visas since the U.S. limits the number of applicants it will accept.Many people decide to immigrate so that their children will have a better life.

Remember that an adverb clause can move to the beginning of the sentence:

Because our relatives were already in the U.S., we decided to come here.Because he couldn’t find a job in his country, he came here.Since the U.S. limits the number of applicants it will accept, many people cannot get immigrant visas.So that their children will have a better life, many people decide to immigrate.

The word so is very tricky (sorry!)

(1) It is a coordinating conjunction (one of the FANBOYS). When you use it this way, it combines two sentences a compound sentence with a comma:

They wanted their children to have a better life, so they immigrated.

(2) So that is a subordinator that combines two sentences using an adverb clause:They immigrated so that their children could have a better life.

And it gets even worse than that!

So that is a subordinator that combines two sentences using an adverb clause:They immigrated so that their children could have a better life.

BUTIn conversation, we often omit that from this kind of sentence, using so as a subordinator:They immigrated so their children could have a better life.

because of and forThese are prepositions. Add a noun or noun phrase to form a prepositional phrase.

For example:

The Irish came here in the 19th century because of the potato famine.

The Bosnians left because of war in their country.

Compare the prepositional phrase and the adverb clause:The Irish came here in the 19th century because of the potato famine = The Irish came here in the 19th century because there was a potato famine

The Bosnians left because of war in their country. = The Bosnians left because their country had a war.

Be careful! These sentences are incorrect!

**The Irish came here in the 19th century because the potato famine.

**The Bosnians left because of their country had a war.

To + base form infinitive

We can also express these ideas using an infinitive:

For example:

In the late 19th century, many Jews left Russia to escape religious persecution.

Many Chinese young people come to the United States to study.

In this kind of sentence, we often use in order before the infinitive:

In the late 19th century, many Jews left Russia in order to escape religious persecution.

Many Chinese young people come to the United States in order to study.

Different ways to express the same idea, using different grammar!

Ms. Agard’s ancestors came to America because they did not have religious freedom in England. (adverb clause)They came to America so that they could practice their religion freely. (adverb clause)

Ms. Agard’s ancestors came to America because of religious persecution in England. (prepositional phrase)They came to America for religious freedom. (prepositional phrase)

Ms. Agard’s ancestors came to America to practice their religion freely. (infinitive)They came to American in order to have freedom of religion. (infinitive)17th Century Quakers:

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