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I'm curious that I can use because and but together in a row in a sentence like

I'm working, but because they keep on talking right next to me, it bugs me and is really annoying.

Is this possible to use and is it correct grammatically?

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  • There's no rule against using but and because together. However, I think your sentence would work better if the last part was something like I'm finding it hard to concentrate. Then, but would introduce the fact that the speaker is finding working difficult, and because would state the reason.
    – Kate Bunting
    Aug 16, 2020 at 14:24

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You have three important clauses here:

A: I'm working

B: they keep on talking right next to me

C: it bugs me and is really annoying

Because is used to connect B and C. Because tells you that B is the cause of C.

But is used to connect A to the combination of B and C. But indicates that B and C are acting against A.

The two prepositions end up next to each other because the writer chose to write "Because B, C" instead of the simpler "C because B". Either one could have been used here, and the writer just happened to choose the first one.

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— I'm working, but because they keep on talking right next to me, it bugs me and is really annoying

"but" here indicates a clause that refers to a case of interruption:

  • I'm working, but they keep on talking right next to me. - Means While I am working they are talking right next to me.

Since that clause is a cause of what comes next we include the preposition "because".

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First, to what does “it” refer? The working or the talking? Let’s assume you mean the talking. Clarify the sentence by altering it to “ I'm working, but because they keep on talking right next to me, I am really annoyed.”

Second, the function of the two commas here is to parenthesise a clause that could be removed and still leave a clear but less informative sentence. Does that work with the altered sentence? No. “I'm working, I am really annoyed.”

Therefore, the comma should follow the “but”. The pruned sentence would then read “I'm working but I am really annoyed.” The full, correct and unambiguous sentence would be “ I'm working but, because they keep on talking right next to me, I am really annoyed”

This demonstrates that “because” may grammatically and logically follow “but”, answering your question.

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