Although, however, despite
Show contrast clearly with although, even though, however, despite, in spite of, whereas and while.
In this lesson you will
- Use although / even though + clause
- Use despite / in spite of + noun or -ing
- Use however and whereas correctly with punctuation
Learn
although / even though + clause: Although it was raining, we went out. (even though is stronger.)
despite / in spite of + noun or -ing: Despite the rain, we went out. In spite of feeling tired, she kept working. To add a clause, use despite the fact that…
however links two sentences: The hotel was lovely. However,* it was very expensive.* (full stop or semicolon before, comma after.)
whereas / while compare two different facts: My brother loves sport, whereas* I prefer reading.*
| Linker | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| although | a clause | Although she was tired, … |
| despite | noun / -ing | Despite being tired, … |
| however | new sentence + comma | … . However, … |
| whereas | a contrasting clause | …, whereas… |
Examples
- Even though he’s rich, he lives very simply.
- Despite the traffic, we arrived on time.
- The course is challenging. However, it’s very rewarding.
- Some people love cities, whereas others prefer the countryside.
Vocabulary
contrast
a clear difference
despite
without being affected by
rewarding
giving satisfaction
challenging
difficult in an interesting way
whereas
while in contrast
Practice
___ the bad weather, the match continued.
Speaking
Compare two cities, jobs or generations, using although, despite, however and whereas at least once each.
Writing
Write a balanced paragraph (100–120 words): the pros and cons of working from home, using four contrast linkers.
Lesson quiz
___ having little money, they travelled the world.
Review
Key points
- although/even though + clause.
- despite/in spite of + noun or -ing.
- However, at the start of a new sentence.
- whereas/while to compare.
What you learned
- ✓ I can express contrast.
- ✓ I use the right structure after each linker.
- ✓ I punctuate however correctly.
Grammar reference: Conjunctions and linking words