were owing to vs were attributed to

Both phrases are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Were owing to' is used to indicate a direct cause or reason, while 'were attributed to' is used to assign a reason or cause to someone or something. They are not interchangeable.

Last updated: March 31, 2024 • 550 views

were owing to

This phrase is correct and used to indicate a direct cause or reason.

This phrase is used to explain the direct cause or reason for something.

Examples:

The cancellation of the event was owing to bad weather.
The delay in the project was owing to a lack of resources.

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at the time of sale or export no accrued fees, rents or taxes, prescribed by statute were owing to the State; and
The new Member States certainly could not have expected the decisions that were made owing to pressure by the trade union movement.
The areas in the Canaries were selected owing to their uniqueness and exceptional natural wealth.
Junior debt issuances by Sparkasse KölnBonn at the end of 2008 and in the first quarter of 2009 do not provide reliable evidence that the markets for hybrid instruments were active owing to the very limited amount of single tranches involved.
These were postponed owing to the absence of many MEPs due to air travel disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud that covered large parts of Europe for several days.
These were postponed owing to the absence of many MEPs due to air travel disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud that covered large parts of Europe for several days.
French students have recently complained that their applications to study at a Belgian university were rejected owing to the limited number of places at that specific university.
However, we were informed that owing to constraints of time you had to leave earlier.
In addition, bond markets in Latvia, Lithuania and Romania were almost illiquid owing to, among other things, investors» continued cautiousness.
These increases were later reversed owing to a further bout of volatility in global financial markets that reflected market uncertainties about the economic and financial situation in Brazil.
These sales agreements were later cancelled owing to the late delivery of the necessary building permits.
This means being aware of the role played by European agriculture in maintaining the regions, as well as the regional impact if that role were to disappear owing to the application of strictly economic criteria to agricultural and forestry activities.
In the autumn of 2009, Parliament adopted an additional protocol to an agreement concluded on 17 October 1990 between a number of North Atlantic countries, but which Spain and Morocco were unable to sign owing to the dispute over Western Sahara.
Few of the established objectives were achieved, owing to various factors: amongst others, the lack of political will and of instruments - not least financial ones.
The fleet reduction objectives were based on criteria which had little to do with the actual situation, and even those modest targets were not met owing to the lack of cooperation from some Member States.
Olle Schmidt said that he would have wanted an extension of the deadline for tabling amendments to the recommendation, scheduled for 19.00 that day, given that a number of Members were not present owing to transport difficulties.
The December 2009 issue of the magazine '60 millions de consommateurs' publishes a study showing that of 66 toys tested, 30 were apparently toxic owing to the presence of 'potentially dangerous chemical substances'.
The last outbreak of the disease in the summer of 2000 in Evros was attributed to animals in the Greek border regions encountering Turkish animals in the River Evros, the waters of which were low owing to the protracted drought.
the reduction of 400 full-time equivalent jobs and the productivity measures provided for in the 2006 plan were inadequate owing to the slippages from the 2002 plan.
Neither the Convention's proposals (qualified majority for proposals submitted by the Minister and supported by the Commission) nor the Italian Presidency's proposals (qualified majority for all of the Minister's proposals) were adopted, owing to opposition from various Member States.

Alternatives:

was due to
resulted from
stemmed from
was caused by
was because of

were attributed to

This phrase is correct and used to assign a reason or cause to someone or something.

This phrase is used to assign a reason or cause to a particular person, thing, or circumstance.