although / even though / however / despite

What you'll learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to contrast two ideas with although, even though, however and despite.

When do I use it?

Use them to join or connect two contrasting ideas:

although / even though + clause (subject + verb): "Although it was raining, we went out." "Even though he's rich, he's unhappy." ("Even though" is stronger than "although".)
despite / in spite of + noun or -ing: "Despite the rain, we went out." "Despite feeling tired, she kept working."
however starts a new sentence: "It was raining. However, we went out."

How do I form it?

Structure

although / even though + subject + verb + comma + main clause despite / in spite of + noun / -ing + comma + main clause sentence. However, + sentence.

Although the hotel was expensive, it was worth it.
Even though I studied hard, I failed the exam.
Despite the cold weather, they swam in the sea.
In spite of arriving late, she got the job.
The phone is old. However, it works perfectly.

Remember the key difference: although/even though take a clause (with a verb), despite/in spite of take a noun or -ing (no subject-verb).

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Warning

Spanish "aunque" covers both clause and noun uses, so speakers write "despite it was raining" (wrong — despite needs a noun or -ing: "despite the rain" / "despite being raining" is still off; use "despite the rain" or "although it was raining"). Also "sin embargo" is often translated as "however" but used mid-sentence: "however" opens a new sentence and takes a comma. And "even though" is frequently misspelled or shortened to "even if", which changes the meaning (even if = even in that case).

Hint

Clause (subject + verb) → although / even though. Noun or -ing → despite. New sentence → However, ...

Practice

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is correct?

Fill in the Blank

Even he was tired, he finished the race.

Hint: 'Even though' + subject + verb.

Find the Error

Click on the incorrect word:

Sentence Transformation

Original

The project was hard. We finished it on time.

Task: Join the ideas with 'although'

Hint: although + clause + comma + main clause.

Practice Speaking

Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.

Level: B1

Learning Objectives

Recommended before this lesson