Contrasting ideas
Look at these examples to see how we can give contrasting information.
Although she now flies down the slopes, it took her years to learn to ski well.
He's really busy. He still offered to help, though.
I passed the exam even though I hardly studied.
While I don't agree, I understand their point of view.
Much as I'd love a holiday this year, I just can't afford it.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Grammar explanation
Although, despite, even if, even though, in spite of, much as, though, whereas and while are all used to link two contrasting ideas or show that one fact makes the other fact surprising.
They can all be used at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence.
In spite of the heavy rain, the hikers continued climbing the mountain.
The hikers continued climbing the mountain in spite of the heavy rain.
The main difference between these conjunctions is that they are followed by different structures.
In spite of and despite
After in spite of and despite, we use a noun phrase or -ing form of a verb.
We arrived on time in spite of missing the train.
Their restaurant succeeded despite the bad reviews.
It's common to use in spite of and despite with the expression the fact that, so that it can be followed by a subject and verb.
We arrived on time, in spite of the fact that we missed the train.
Their restaurant succeeded, despite the fact that they received bad reviews.
Although, though and even though
After although, though and even though, we use a subject and a verb. They mean the same thing, but even though is slightly stronger and more emphatic than although and though.
Although Marjorie lost the election, many more people voted for her than the first time.
I love my Italian conversation class, though I struggled at first.
Even though my team lost, it was great to be in the stadium for the final.
Though can also go at the end of the second phrase. This way of expressing contrasting ideas is most common in spoken English.
I didn't know anyone when I first got to uni. I soon made friends, though.
Even if
Even if means 'whether or not' or 'no matter whether'. It's followed by a subject and a verb.
Even if you are an expert swimmer, you should be careful at this beach.
While and whereas
While is a conjunction that is most commonly used with time, but it can also be used to mean 'despite the fact that' or 'although'.
While I made some mistakes in my driving exam, I still passed.
In this sense, while comes at the beginning of the sentence.
While and whereas can be used to mean 'but' or 'compared with the fact that', to compare two contradictory ideas.
While/Whereas Ivan is very sociable, his brother is more reserved.
My trip home was quick and easy, whereas/while my colleagues were delayed for hours.
In this sense, while/whereas can come at the beginning of the sentence or between the two contradictory clauses.
Much as
Much as is a more formal expression. It means 'although', 'despite how much' or 'no matter how much'.
Much as I enjoyed studying abroad, it was good to return home.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ง ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ช๐๐?
-................you take a taxi, you'll still miss your train.
Explanation:
-"take a taxi" imagines a possible action that should help you catch the train. But no matter what, you'll still miss your train (cancels that expectation).
-----> ๐๐ซ๐๐ฃ ๐๐ you take a taxi, you'll still miss your train.
โ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค:
๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ / ๐๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฒ; ๐๐น๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต / ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต / ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต; ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐ถ๐ณ; ๐ช๐ต๐ถ๐น๐ฒ / ๐ช๐ต๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฎ๐; ๐ ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฎ๐; ๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐ ๐ผ๐ณ/ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ณ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ต๐ฎ๐...
๐-๐๐ ๐ค๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ / ๐ป๐๐ค๐ก๐๐ฅ๐:
๐จ๐๐ฒ: to express something happening regardless of an obstacle.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ: In spite of / despite + noun phrase /noun/ ing form of the verb.
๐ฒ.๐ด.:
-You like someone because of all of their qualities, and you love someone ๐๐๐จ๐ฅ๐๐ฉ๐ some of their qualities.
๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ: ๐๐ฆ๐ต ๐๐ต ๐๐ฑ (2018)
-๐๐ป ๐๐ฝ๐ถ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ everything youโve done for them, eventually they will hate you.
๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ: ๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณโ๐๐ข๐ฏ (2002)
-Well, I made a funny discovery, that ๐ข๐ง ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐ญ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ somebodyโs up from the bottom, he can still be quite a heel.
๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ:๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฑ๐ฉ๐ช๐ข ๐๐ต๐ฐ๐ณ๐บ (1940)
๐-๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ / ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ / ๐ผ๐ง๐๐ t๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐
*๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ : more formal, common in writing.
*๐๐๐๐๐๐ : less formal, common in speech.
*๐ด๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: Emphasizes a stronger or more surprising contrast.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ: Although / Tough / Even though + subject + verb.
๐ฒ.๐ด.:
-๐๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก I was tired, I stayed up to watch the game.
-A: โThat film was terrible.โ -B: โYeah, it looked nice, ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก .โ
-๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐ก she had no reason to be dissatisfied, she was still not happy.
๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ โ ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฅ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ซ๐ถ๐ฅ๐ช๐ค๐ฆ
-๐๐๐ฒ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐ด๐ต anyone can cook, not everyone will try.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ง ๐๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ข๐ถ
๐-๐ผ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐: ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐ฅ / ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ
๐จ๐๐ฒ: Even if= whether or not / no matter whether.
๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ: Even if + subject + verb
๐ฒ.๐ด.:
-Iโll never let go, Jack. Iโll never let go โ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ thereโs no hope.
๐๐ฐ๐ท๐ช๐ฆ: ๐๐ช๐ต๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ค (1997)
-Donโt ever let somebody tell you you canโt do something. Not even me. All right? โฆ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ they say you canโt, you keep going.
๐๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ด๐ถ๐ช๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ข๐ฑ๐ฑ๐บ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด (2006)
๐-๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐/ ๐๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ : ๐๐ฎ๐ญ / ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐จ๐ง
-In 1950, over 70% of the population lived in rural areas, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ today, that number has dropped below 20% due to mass urbanization.
-The southern region is home to lush, tropical rain forests, ๐ฐ๐ก๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฌ the northern territories are defined by their arid, desert landscapes.
-The company promised job security, ๐ฐ๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ quietly, its executives began selling off their shares.
-๐๐ก๐ข๐ฅ๐ the new policy was intended to help, it has created a host of unintended consequences for the families it was meant to assist.
๐-๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐ค:
๐จ๐๐ฒ: more formal expression = although / despite / how much / no matter how much.
-๐๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ฌ the newspaper might have preferred a different outcome, it had no choice but to publish the report.
- ๐๐ฎ๐๐ก ๐๐ฌ I want to protect my family, I can't let this injustice continue.
๐๐ข๐จ๐ข๐ป๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ต๐ช๐ค๐ญ๐ฆ: ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐บ ๐๐ข๐ช๐ณ
Despite the fact that the tests made me jittery completing them, I got 100% correct answers.
Hello!
In second question of the second test only one answer is correct - whereas.
I think we can aslso use "despite" here.
2. _____ socialising energises some people, it leaves others feeling tired and drained.
Despite
In spite of the fact
Whereas
Despite socialising energising some people, it leaves others feeling tired and drained.
Thw same refers to this sentence.
Despite the fact that I'm fluent in Spanish, I still get nervous if I have to give a presentation.
Why we can't use "even though" in this sentence?
Even though I'm fluent in Spanish, I still get nervous if I have to give a presentation."
Thanks
Hello SERJ-,
Despite is not correct here. The explanation on the page says that we use a noun or an -ing form after despite. Here, there is an -ing form but it is not used as a noun object but as the subject of a verb following it: socialising energises (subject + verb). When we have a subject and a verb we need 'despite the fact that', as the explanation says.
You can use even though in your sentence. However, your sentence is not the same as the sentence in the exercise. In the exercise the sentence includes 'that', and in that example even though is not possible. With these kinds of exercises you need to read and re-read the sentence very carefully. It's important if you plan on taking an exam in English at any point so you get full credit for your knowledge.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello LearnEnglish team,
We can give contrasting information using but, yet, still, nevertheles and nonetheles etc.
So, what is the difference between these words, and, when and how to use these words correctly?
Thank you.
Hello ShetuYogme,
Let's use this example: It was -20C. I went for a run.
There is a contrast here: a situation (extreme cold) and a surprising event (going for a run).
Some linkers are used to introduce the situation:
Others are used to introduce the surprise:
Others are used to introduce the surprise, but must begin a new sentence:
In terms of style, nevertheless and nonetheless are very formal.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Sir,
I enjoyed maths as a child, whiIe I found it difficult.
Can I use like this?
Thank you.
Hello Aung Qui,
While can be used to show a contrast like this but the clause with while comes first:
You can also use though, although and even though here, and with these the clauses can come in any order:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello!
Please, could you solve a doubt about the use of English.
Could you say this sentence:
like
2. Although she now flies down the slopes, it took her years to learn HOW to ski well
and if it is possible, is there any meaning change?
Thank you