INDEX:
1. when it is surprising that two different things are both true
2. when a particular fact does not prevent something from happening
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ BUT
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1. when it is surprising that two different things are both true
▷ although/though /ɔːlˈðəʊ, ðəʊ/ [conjunction]
▪ I really need some time alone, although I know I’ll miss the kids while I’m gone.
▪ He won several medals, though he was only 15 years old.
▪ You’ve been here before, though you might not remember because you were pretty little.
▪ Although Milan is an industrial city, it still has enormous charm.
even though
use this when you want to emphasize what you are saying
▪ We bought tickets to go to France, even though this isn’t really the best time of year to go.
though old/tired/brief etc
▪ The marriage, though brief, was a happy one.
▷ while also whilst British formal /waɪl, waɪlst/ [conjunction]
use this to introduce a statement that makes your main statement seem surprising or says something different from it :
▪ While I like Carter personally, I don’t think what he’s doing is right.
▪ Whilst a Rolls Royce is a very nice car, it is extremely expensive to maintain.
▪ While six percent of ordinary homes were damaged in the earthquake, only three percent of mobile homes were damaged.
▷ may be ... but ... /ˈmeɪ biː ... bət .../
use this when you are telling someone that although what they have said may be true, something else that seems very different is a fact :
▪ He may be intelligent but he has no common sense.
▪ Bechler may be behind some of the problems, but he is not the only person responsible.
2. when a particular fact does not prevent something from happening
▷ although/though /ɔːlˈðəʊ, ðəʊ/ [conjunction]
▪ Although I missed my train, I still arrived at work on time.
▪ Although we are a small company, we produce over 10,000 cars a year.
even though
use this when you want to emphasize what you are saying
▪ She always buys us expensive presents, even though she can’t really afford them.
▷ in spite of/despite /ɪn ˈspaɪt ɒv, dɪˈspaɪt/ [preposition]
even though something happens or is true, especially something bad :
▪ In spite of everything, I still enjoyed the trip.
▪ He wore a black leather jacket, despite the heat.
▪ The stock price has remained strong, in spite of the problems the company is having.
▪ In spite of the language difficulty, we soon became friends.
▪ Despite my misgivings, I took the job.
despite yourself
despite efforts to behave or feel differently
▪ At the end of the movie, Liz began to cry despite herself.
in spite of the fact that/despite the fact that
▪ Many poor people give quite a bit of money to charities, despite the fact that they do not have that much themselves.