My understanding is that "due" is an adjective and thus is used with a "to
be" verb, as in "The cancellation was due to the rain."

To use the main clause as is, you need an adverbial form:  "Because of the
rain, we had to cancel the picnic."

This distinction is rarely made any more, it appears to me.

Jane Saral
On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 8:06 PM, John Dews-Alexander <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Brad, you're not alone. I wondered about #4 as well. Maybe there is an
> objection to using "had to"? But what is the other option in the past tense
> since there is no past for "must" in modern English? I suppose "were were
> forced to" but that gives a much more passive meaning. Perhaps the author
> objects to fronting the adverb phrase?
>
> John
>
>
> On Tue, Sep 20, 2011 at 5:56 PM, Brad Layton <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> I'm reluctant to place my ignorance on public display :) , but ...
>>
>> What is "incorrect" about #4?
>>
>> (4)  Due to the rain, we had to cancel the picnic.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Brad Layton
>>
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Scott Catledge <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: ATEG <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Mon, Sep 19, 2011 7:26 pm
>> Subject: 'Bad' English
>>
>>  Trask in his *Why do Languages Change* includes (p. 10) nine sentences
>> that he considered would be or shortly become
>> accepted as "normal English grammar."  One of the sentences (number seven)
>> is strictly conversational and unlikely
>> to be encountered in normal writing: I consider the other eight to have
>> egregious errors.  What do you think?
>>
>> (1)  I recommend you to take the job.
>> (2)  He demanded that the agitators were arrested.
>> (3)  This is just between you and I.
>> (4)  Due to the rain, we had to cancel the picnic.
>> (5)  This paper was written by Susie and myself.
>> (6)  Please come between eight a.m. to six p.m.
>> (7)  If he'd've played, we would have won.
>> (8)  He makes tedious jokes about mother-in-laws.
>> (9)  Having said that, there is no feasible alternative.
>>
>> Scott Catledge
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>>
>
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