Ashokshiva wrote:
generis &
GMATNinjaSHouldn't the word ''because'' be followed by a clause with a subject and a verb.?
In option-D, which is the correct option, ''Because'' is not followed by a clause.
is there any gap in my understanding.
pl. suggest
Thanks
Ashokshiva , in this case, there is a little gap in your understanding,
but that "gap" is very common.
because OF is different from
because.
That is, in addition to
due to, because, whereas, and
since,
in this question we have yet another construction
with which to contend: "
because of."
• because vs. because OFbecause and
because of are not the same.
Because-- As you note,
because should be followed by a clause.
-- Jargon:
because is a subordinating conjunction that forms a
subordinate clause, also known as dependent clause — and a clause must have a subject and a verb.
Because OF--
because of is a compound preposition, and prepositions should be followed by
nouns or noun phrases (each is an object of the preposition
because of).
-- at the same time,
because of modifies whole clauses.
We have to consider the logical relationship between the "because of" phrase and the clause that it modifies.
So we have to check two details when we see
because of:
(1) is
because of followed by a noun or a noun phrase?
(2) does
because of modify a whole clause?
(Almost always,
because of gives the reason for the event in the clause.)
• Correct answer D: analysis(D) Because of the highly sensitive nature of their work, all State Department staff members were instructed to store their files on secure servers.
Preposition:
Because of Object of preposition (a noun phrase, correct):
the highly sensitive nature of their work Clause that
because of modifies:
all State Department staff members were instructed to store their files on secure servers.Logical relationship between because of and the clause?-- WHY were staff members instructed to store files on secure servers?
-- BECAUSE OF the highly sensitive nature of the staff members' work.
That logical relationship is correct.
The because of phrase tells us why
the staff members were given the instruction to store their files on secure servers.
The nature of their work is highly sensitive = needs to be kept secret. Jargon: In correct answer D,
because of + noun phrase is an adverbial modifier of the whole clause that follows.
Here is an article that discusses the difference between
because and
because of.
I hope that analysis helps.