17.

2 Though, although, despite, in spite of

Although, even though, though, despite and in despite of are great conjunctions to use to show
contrast or difference. To make a main statement in a sentence seem unexpected or surprising.
Their uses are very similar, but the grammar is quite different.

[00:00:17] In spite of and despite.

[00:00:20] Both mean not affected by something, regardless or even though something
happened something else still happens.

[00:00:28] They can be followed by a noun, pronoun and the ing gerund form of the verb that
acts like a noun. Finally, they can also be used with a subject and verb if followed by 'the fact
that' let's look at all four uses.

[00:00:42] In spite of or despite plus a noun.

[00:00:45] Let me give you an example sentence. A teacher is unhappy with two students. She
gives them a warning to stop. But they disobey her. Anyways, they disobey her after being
warned. Here's how we can express this with despite and in spite of.

[00:01:02] In spite of the warning, they disobeyed the teacher.

[00:01:05] Despite the warning, they disobeyed the teacher.

[00:01:08] So even though they were warned, they still disobeyed the teacher. The teacher
warned them previously, but that did not stop them from disobeying her. Always in spite of
something and always despite something. In this example, we used a noun.

[00:01:25] In spite of despite plus a pronoun.

[00:01:28] Now, let's imagine these two students are leaving school to walk home. A teacher
tells them it's going to rain, you should get your jackets out of your locker. Do that or you will
get wet. But these two students don't care. They ignore the advice and walk home in the middle
of a downpour. Getting really wet.

[00:01:46] Despite what the teacher said, the two students walked home in the rain without a
jacket.

[00:01:52] In spite of what the teacher said, the two students walked home in the rain without a
jacket.

[00:01:57] So they ignore the advice. They don't pay attention to it. They do something even
though it means something else will happen. In this example we use a pronoun, what, to refer to
the advice the teacher gave them.
[00:02:09] In spite of and despite plus the gerund.

[00:02:13] In spite of and despite can both be followed by the ing form of a verb, too. This is the
gerund, so here are some examples.

[00:02:21] Despite waking up late, he did not rush to get to work.

[00:02:25] In spite of waking up late, he did not rush to get to work.

[00:02:28] So in these examples, the person wakes up late, but they don't rush. Who knows
why, but you would initially think that they would try to get ready much faster.

[00:02:38] Despite being the youngest, he was stronger than everyone.

[00:02:42] In spite of being the youngest, he was stronger than everyone.

[00:02:45] So one would initially assume that because he's younger, he will also be weaker, but
that's not true. Because despite his age, he's really strong. In spite of what you might think
because of his age, he's the strongest. We're using despite and in spite of to show that it's
unexpected and not what you thought.

[00:03:04] In spite of or despite plus the fact.

[00:03:08] The meaning is exactly the same here. We are showing that an unexpected result or
consequence is achieved in spite of what happened prior. To form this we say either in spite of
the fact and then the subject and verb. Or we say despite the fact that and then the subject and
verb here are some examples.

[00:03:28] Despite the fact that she was promised a promotion, she didn't receive one.

[00:03:33] In spite of the fact that she was promised a promotion, she didn't receive one.

[00:03:38] Same meaning and what we're saying here is that something was expected to
happen. It was basically a fact that it was going to happen, but the result was different than
anticipated. She was supposed to get a result, the promotion. But it didn't happen. She was not
promoted.

[00:03:55] Although, though, even though.

[00:03:57] Although, though and even though all mean the same thing as despite and in spite of,
but after although, though, and even though we always use a subject and verb. The subject can
be a noun or pronoun and the verb can be in any tense that you want.

[00:04:16] The grammar does not change at all when using although, though or even though.
There's only slight differences in meaning. So let's look at that.

[00:04:26] Although and of though.

[00:04:28] Although and though are exactly the same. The only difference is that although is
slightly more formal. It makes sense because in spoken English, we prefer shorter words and
expressions.

[00:04:39] So though is obviously more common in spoken English. It's shorter and easier to say.
The difference though is minimal. You'll hear both of them in formal and informal situations.
Here are some examples to help you with that and to clarify what I mean when I say that they
need to be followed by a subject and verb.

[00:04:59] Though he lied to me, still trust him.

[00:05:02] Although he lied to me, I still trust him.

[00:05:05] Remember the grammar doesn't change and although is generally just considered a
little more formal. The subject is he and the verb is lie in the past simple .That's our subject and
verb that we use after, that we always use after although, though and even though. And what
we're saying is that he lied to us, but it doesn't make us trust him less. Despite his lies, we
continue to trust this person. But who knows if that's a good decision? Probably not.

[00:05:33] Although they will stay with us the whole month, Idon't think they will get bored.

[00:05:38] Though they will stay with us the whole month, I don't think they will get bored.

[00:05:42] So again same meaning really and after though and although we need the subject,
that's they. And then the verb, that's will be. So future simple. A month can be a long time to
visit someone and stay with them at their house. But this person is saying that though, or in
spite of it being a long time, they don't think their friends will get bored. They are saying, yeah a
month might be a while, but we don't think the result will be negative. Maybe they have a lot
planned to do, it's nothing to worry about.

[00:06:11] Though in spoken English.

[00:06:13] In spoken English we use though a lot at the end of a sentence, and when we do it
means but. We don't use although or even though this way. This is only for though in spoken
English.

[00:06:25] She was really pretty. Super mean, though.

[00:06:28] Meaning she was pretty but really mean.

[00:06:32] I thought you said you were coming, though?

[00:06:34] This just means but I thought you were coming. So it's unexpected. Apparently the
person cannot come any longer.

[00:06:42] Even though.

[00:06:43] Even though has the same meaning as though and although, the only difference is
that it is more intense. More empathetic. Stronger. It's not really a lot stronger, but it's the only
difference between the other two conjunctions. The grammar is the same, too. So it's followed
by subject and verb. Really in most situations you are fine using though, although, and though.
Use whichever one you want. Just to make sure the grammar is correct.

[00:07:09] But remember in spoken English, only though can come at the end to mean but.

[00:07:14] As well, even can be used with when and if. Even when and even with, and then the
subject and verb.

[00:07:21] Even though I told her to wake up early, she didn't listen to me.

[00:07:25] Although I told her to wake up early., she didn't listen to me.

[00:07:29] Though I told her to wake up early, she didn't listen to me.

[00:07:32] So for all. Examples I told her to wake up early, but she didn't. She did not follow my
advice. She did not do what was expected. It is an unexpected result.

[00:07:42] Even though it's slightly more intense because we sound a little bit more surprised
than if we used although or though. And comparing although and though, although is just a tiny
bit more formal.

[00:07:54] Because.

[00:07:55] Because is the opposite of all the conjunctions we looked at in this lecture so far.
Because is supposed to give us a logical, expected conclusion to actions. But with though,
although, even though, despite and in spite of, we get unexpected conclusions to actions. Here
are some examples.

[00:08:15] He failed the test because he didn't study.

[00:08:18] Because shows us he logical result of an action, or in this case a lack of action. He
didn't study. So what's the result? He failed the test. And why? Because he didn't study.
Obviously.

[00:08:30] He passed the test in spite of never studying.

[00:08:34] Here we have the opposite. Generally you assume that if someone doesn't study they
will fail. But in this example, the person didn't study. But somehow they still managed to pass
the test.