Thanks to e-mail (electronic mail), they had been corresponding with each other through their computers.

因為電子郵件的關係, 他們透過電腦互相通信。

上列句中, 使用了片語介詞 (由兩個以上的字形成的介詞) "thanks to...", 表『由於/因為……』之意。

　thanks to...　　由於/因為……

=due to...

=owing to...

=because of...

=on account of...

=as a result of..

注意:

上述片語介詞接受詞後形成介詞片語, 作副詞用, 使用時通常置於句首或句尾,用以修飾句中動詞或主要子句; 但其中由於due是形容詞, 故due to亦可置於be動詞後作主詞補語, 其餘則不可。

例: Thanks to the pilot's experience, a terrible accident was avoided.

　(多虧飛行員的經驗才免掉一場可怕的意外。)

　Tim eventually got fired as a result of his complaints about his job.

　(由於對工作抱怨，提姆最後被開除了。)

　The car accident was owing to the driver's carelessness. (╳)

　→The car accident was due to the driver's carelessness. (○)

　(那場車禍是由於該駕駛粗心大意造成的。)