due to or owing to? The traditional rule of thumb regarding the use of these two phrases is that owing to Owing to means and can be replaced in a sentence by ‘because of’ and, while due to means and is replaceable by ‘caused by’: Owing to circumstances beyond our control, the departure of the train has had to be delayed; The delay is due to circumstances beyond our control. The basis for this rule is said to be that due Due is an adjective and should ought either to be attached to a noun (a mistake due to ignorance) or to follow the a verb such as to be or to seem: Her mistakes were mainly due to inexperience. Owing to, on the other hand, is said to be a compound preposition that can introduce an adverbial phrase: cancelled owing to rain; Owing to an earlier engagement, I reluctantly had to turn down the invitation. Most modern authorities recommend that the rule should be remembered, while acknowledging that its grammatical basis is shaky (there is no reason why due to should not be seen as a compound preposition if owing to is one) and that due to is so frequently used in the sense of because of that many modern dictionaries show it with that sense