Grammar · Free lesson
Despite or although: keep the contrast, change the pattern
The cafe was noisy. You expected to struggle with your reading, but you finished the chapter. You want to keep that unexpected contrast, not present the noise as the reason you finished.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Use despite the noise, but although the cafe was noisy. The noise is a noun phrase; the cafe was noisy has a subject and a verb. Both versions can show that the noise did not prevent you from finishing. Do not write despite of.
Look at the words that follow the connector.
For the two patterns here, despite comes before the noun phrase the noise. Although comes before the full clause the cafe was noisy. Changing the connector also means checking what comes after it. Merely swapping despite for although is not enough.
Two ways to keep the same surprise
Despite the noise, I finished the chapter.
Although the cafe was noisy, I finished the chapter.
I finished the chapter despite the noise.
Despite and although express a contrast here. Because the cafe was noisy would give the noise as a reason instead.
Keep both facts in view
The possible difficulty
The cafe was noisy.
The unexpected result
I expected to struggle, but I finished the chapter.
Connect the ideas with a noun phrase
Despite the noise, I finished the chapter.
Try it now
Match the connector and the structure.
Read all answers and explanations
Use despite directly before the noun phrase the noise. Which sentence is correct?
Despite the noise, I finished the chapter.Despite takes the noun phrase directly here. Do not add of, and do not put the full clause the cafe was noisy directly after despite.
Keep the same contrast using although followed by a full subject-and-verb clause. Which version works?
Although the cafe was noisy, I finished the chapter.The cafe was noisy supplies the subject and verb after although. The noise alone and the cafe noisy do not make the full clause requested.
You expected the noisy cafe to make reading difficult, but you finished. What contrast does the sentence express?
Noise could make reading harder, but I finished.Finishing despite a possible difficulty is the contrast. The sentence does not say noise caused you to start or that the cafe became quiet.
Put it into practice
Remove the extra word without losing the meaning.
Keep despite followed by the noun phrase the noise. Preserve the completed chapter and the contrast.
Despite of the noise, I finished the chapter.
See a model answer
Despite the noise, I finished the chapter.
The repaired sentence uses despite + noun phrase and keeps the unexpected result.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can despite come before an -ing form?
Yes. It can introduce an -ing phrase. In this example, I is the person who felt tired and kept reading.
Despite feeling tired, I kept reading.
Is despite the fact that correct?
Yes. It lets you follow the fact that with a full clause. That expanded pattern is different from putting a full clause directly after despite.
Despite the fact that the cafe was noisy, I finished the chapter.
Take it into your day
Despite the noise and although the cafe was noisy can express the same contrast. Match the connector to the following structure.
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