On account of is a formal expression commonly used in academic English. Once you master it, you can score higher in IELTS Writing and Speaking by expressing reasons more flexibly and naturally. This guide explains what on account of means, how to use it accurately in different contexts, and gives practical examples for effective IELTS performance.
1. What Does On Account Of Mean
On account of means because of, due to, or thanks to, and it introduces the reason or cause of a situation. It is formal and frequent in academic writing, journalism, and the IELTS test.
Examples
Many rural areas still face limited access to education on account of insufficient government investment.
A growing number of students are opting for online courses on account of their flexibility and cost effectiveness.
2. How To Use On Account Of In a Sentence
Position and Grammar Pattern
On account of is a prepositional phrase and must be followed by a noun, a noun phrase, a pronoun, or a gerund.
Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
On account of + noun or noun phrase | reason or cause | The meeting was canceled on account of the severe weather conditions. |
On account of + V ing | reason introduced by a gerund | The research project was delayed on account of lacking sufficient funding. |
On account of the fact that + S + V | reason with a full clause (more wordy) | The policy failed to achieve its objectives on account of the fact that it was poorly implemented at the local level. |
Typical Contexts
Context | Usage |
|---|---|
To highlight a key or weighty cause | On account of his hard work, he was promoted. |
For negative or difficult situations in a formal tone | The event was canceled on account of unforeseen circumstances. |
In polite or official writing where a neutral tone is needed | We could not proceed on account of financial constraints. |
3. Synonyms and Alternatives to Vary Your Writing
Use these academic friendly options to avoid repetition.
Term or Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
Because of | neutral, common in speech and writing | The flight was delayed because of heavy fog. |
Due to | formal, often after be | The cancellation was due to technical issues. |
Owing to | formal, like due to | Several schools were closed owing to the severe storm. |
Thanks to | positive nuance | The project succeeded thanks to effective collaboration. |
As a result of | as a consequence of | Productivity has improved as a result of advanced technology. |
As a consequence of | with a negative or neutral result | The company faced losses as a consequence of poor management. |
For the reason of | very formal | The meeting was postponed for the reason of safety concerns. |
By virtue of | formal, thanks to | She was selected by virtue of her academic excellence. |
In view of | considering | The event was canceled in view of the rising number of infections. |
In light of | based on, considering | Policies were adjusted in light of recent data. |
4. Key Tips When Using On Account Of
Use the Correct Grammar
On account of is not followed by a full clause.
Wrong: On account of it was raining, we stayed inside.
Correct: On account of the rain, we stayed inside.
Choose the Right Register
On account of is more formal and suits reports, essays, and news. It works well in IELTS Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3 for serious topics in society, economics, or the environment.
In everyday conversation, native speakers prefer shorter, more direct choices like because of or due to.
Formal: The project was delayed on account of technical issues.
Informal: The project was delayed because of technical issues.
5. Practice Exercises With Answers
Exercise 1: Rewrite Using On Account Of
The meeting was canceled because of the storm.
She was chosen due to her excellent leadership skills.
They could not join the trip because of financial difficulties.
The event was postponed because the hall was under repair.
The policy failed because of poor implementation.
He got the scholarship thanks to his outstanding grades.
The company was sued due to negligence.
The speech was impressive because of the speaker’s confidence.
Answers
The meeting was canceled on account of the storm.
She was chosen on account of her excellent leadership skills.
They could not join the trip on account of financial difficulties.
The event was postponed on account of the hall being under repair.
The policy failed on account of poor implementation.
He got the scholarship on account of his outstanding grades.
The company was sued on account of negligence.
The speech was impressive on account of the speaker’s confidence.
Exercise 2: Find and Correct the Error
The event was canceled on account of it rained heavily.
He got the job on account of he was the best candidate.
On account of her was late, the teacher got angry.
The flight was postponed on account of it was snowing.
On account of the fact the weather was bad, the match was canceled.
She passed the exam on account of she studied hard.
On account of the project delayed, the investors complained.
He could not sleep well on account of he drank too much coffee.
Answers
... on account of the heavy rain.
... on account of being the best candidate.
... on account of her lateness.
... on account of the snow.
... on account of the fact that the weather was bad ...
... on account of her hard work.
... on account of the project delay.
... on account of drinking too much coffee.
Master On Account Of To Boost Your IELTS Band
On account of does not only mean because of; it also adds variety and precision to your writing and speaking. Use the correct structure, pick the right context, and combine it with strong synonyms to earn higher marks in Lexical Resource and Grammatical Range. Practice regularly and switch flexibly among alternatives to improve clarity and fluency.
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