How do I use "despite" and other phrases to contrast ideas? #EnglishHelp

A man saying, 'It gets better and better and better,' while he nods his head.

Have you ever wondered how you can express contrast in English in a different way? "Despite" and its alternatives can provide a lot of help!

Despite the fact that some learners think these are difficult words and phrases to use, you'll be able to use them easily in sentences!

When do we need to express contrast?

A young woman asking 'When?'

Expressing contrast is useful in a variety of situations.

In comparisons, it can highlight differences.
In debates, it can help to explain opposing ideas.
When describing outcomes, contrast can clarify the causes and effects of an issue.

Learn the basics: "despite" and "in spite of"

"Despite" and "in spite of" are prepositional phrases that express a contrast between two elements. A girl saying 'Oh, so that explains it.'

There are three ways of using these phrases in a sentence:

They can be followed by a noun or noun phrase:

Noun phrase: this scary accident

Despite this scary accident, Tom managed to drive again.

They can be followed by an -ing verb:

-ing verb: working

In spite of working overtime, Maria earned less than she expected.

They can be followed by a that-clause adding "the fact that":

Clause: Mathew was the best teacher

Despite the fact that Mathew was the best teacher, he didn't get the promotion.

Did you know?

You can use "despite" and "in spite of" without changing the meaning of the sentence. Here are some examples:

Despite the bad weather conditions, Thomas managed to arrive home safe.

In spite of the bad weather conditions, Thomas managed to arrive home safe.

Go further: despite/in spite of vs although/even though

A man saying, 'I need more.'

There are alternatives to consider apart from "despite" and "in spite of". "Although" and "even though" also express contrast but they need to be followed by a clause. A clause is a group of words with a subject and a finite verb.

Examples of clauses: I always felt her distance/The weather was cold

Even though I always felt her distance, she made sure I was comfortable in her company.
Although the weather was cold, the kids could play outside for some time.

Quiz

Considering the following sentence: "............ I tried hard, I couldn't pass that test." Which options are correct?

Despite

In spite of

Even though

Although

Go the extra mile: even if/much as

Zoolander saying, 'Let me hit you with some knowledge.'

"Even if" expresses "whether or not". It's always followed by a clause:

Even if you're good at math, you should review for the test.

"Much as" is more formal and has the same meaning as "although":

Much as I wanted to move, I had to save up for many years.

Quiz

Which phrase/word means "it doesn't matter what happens, the result is the same":

much as

although

even if

despite

Take Action

A woman in a yoga pose says, 'Practice makes progress.'

Now that you know how to express contrast using "despite" and its alternatives, consider these suggestions:

Learn more about expressing contrast in English with these Bytes: Make sentences with "contrast" & Use "although" vs. "though"

Tell a friend about a task you had to do in spite of not feeling like doing it.

Read more examples about expressing contrast from the British Council.

Watch this video with different examples of contrast.

How do I use "despite" and other phrases to contrast ideas? #EnglishHelp

When do we need to express contrast?

Learn the basics: "despite" and "in spite of"

Did you know?

Go further: despite/in spite of vs although/even though

Quiz

Go the extra mile: even if/much as

Quiz

Take Action

This Byte has been authored by

Romina Marazita