Contrast & Concession

Contrast and concession are essential tools for expressing surprising, unexpected, or contrasting ideas in English. When you want to say "X is true, but surprisingly, Y is also true," you are making a concession. When you want to compare two different facts, you are drawing a contrast.

English gives you 3 grammatical tools to express these ideas — all with the same meaning but different grammar:

The key decision is simple: What comes next?

• A clause with a subject and verb? → Use a conjunction (although she was tired...)
• A noun or -ing form? → Use a preposition (despite being tired...)
• A new, separate sentence? → Use an adverb (She was tired. However, she...)

By the end of this lesson you will be able to choose the right tool for each situation, avoid the most common errors, and confidently transform between all three structures — a key skill for B1–B2 writing and speaking.

Already familiar with contrast conjunctions? This lesson builds on the conjunction basics covered in Conjunctions. If although, even though, and whereas are new to you, start there first.

Concession Prepositions: Despite & In Spite Of

Despite and in spite of are prepositions that mean "even though" or "notwithstanding." They express concession — something happened even though another fact should have prevented it.

The Grammar Rule

Because they are prepositions (not conjunctions), they must be followed by a noun, a gerund (-ing form), or the fact that + clause. They can never be followed directly by a subject + verb.

• We enjoyed the trip despite the bad food at the hotel.
• My grandfather is still very active in spite of his age.
• He passed his driving test despite not having any formal lessons.
• She didn't get the promotion in spite of having worked there for ten years.

Despite vs In Spite Of — Any Difference?

No. They are completely interchangeable in meaning and formality. The only difference is the number of words:

⚠️ Error Zone #1 — "Despite of" does not exist!

Students often mix the two patterns and write "despite of". This is always wrong.

• ✅ Despite the noise, the baby slept well.
• ✅ In spite of the noise, the baby slept well.
• ❌ Despite of the noise, the baby slept well.

Memory trick: Despite = no "of". In spite of = always "of". Never swap them.

The #1 Mistake: Despite + Clause

⚠️ Error Zone #2 — This is the most common B1 mistake with contrast.

Because despite and although have similar meanings, students often use them with the same grammar. But they are different parts of speech:

	Part of speech	What follows?	Example
although / even though	Conjunction	Subject + verb (clause)	Although she was tired, she worked late.
despite / in spite of	Preposition	Noun or -ing form	Despite being tired, she worked late.

• ❌ Despite she was tired, she worked late. (clause after a preposition)
• ✅ Despite being tired, she worked late.
• ✅ Despite her tiredness, she worked late.
• ✅ Despite the fact that she was tired, she worked late.
• ✅ Although she was tired, she worked late.

Quick test: Does the word after despite have a subject and verb? If yes, you need although instead.

Despite vs Because Of / Due To — Opposite Meanings!

Be careful: despite (concession) and because of / due to (reason) point in opposite directions.

If the result is logical and expected, use because of or due to. If the result is surprising or unexpected, use despite or in spite of.

👉 Practice Despite & In Spite Of →

Contrast Adverbs: However, Nevertheless & More

Contrast adverbs (also called linking adverbs or sentence connectors) connect two separate sentences to show contrast. Unlike conjunctions, they do not join clauses within one sentence — they link independent ideas across a sentence boundary.

The Main Contrast Adverbs

However vs nevertheless vs nonetheless: All three mean "despite that," but nevertheless and nonetheless are more formal and slightly stronger. However is the most common in both writing and speech.

Three Positions in a Sentence

Contrast adverbs are flexible — they can appear at the beginning, middle, or end of the second sentence:

• She speaks French fluently. She has, however, never lived in France.
• The company lost money last year. It is, nevertheless, planning to expand.

Semicolon + However

In formal writing, you can use a semicolon instead of a full stop to create a closer connection:

• The exam was extremely difficult**; nevertheless,** most students managed to pass.
• The two brothers look very similar**; however,** they have completely different personalities.

The "However vs Although" Trap

⚠️ Error Zone #3 — Don't mix up adverbs and conjunctions.

However and although have similar meanings but completely different grammar:

	Type	Joins...	Example
Although	Conjunction	Two clauses in ONE sentence	Although the hotel was expensive, the rooms were small.
However	Adverb	Two SEPARATE sentences	The hotel was expensive. However, the rooms were small.

• ❌ However the hotel was expensive, the rooms were small. (using an adverb like a conjunction)
• ❌ The hotel was expensive. Although, the rooms were small. (using a conjunction like an adverb)

One exception: However + adjective/adverb means "no matter how" — this IS used within one sentence:

• However hard he tried, he couldn't solve the problem. (= No matter how hard...)

"Though" as an End-of-Sentence Adverb

Though (but NOT although) can be used as an informal adverb at the end of a sentence, meaning "however":

• The pay isn't great. It's a very interesting job, though.
• I don't usually like horror films. That one was good, though.

This is common in spoken English and informal writing.

👉 Practice Contrast Adverbs →

Transformations: Switching Between All Three Tools

At B2 level, the key skill is flexibility — being able to express the same contrast using a conjunction, a preposition, or an adverb. This section teaches you how to transform between the three structures.

Step-by-Step Transformation Process

Take one idea: She was tired, but she kept working.

Step 1 — Identify the concession element (what's the surprising part?) → Being tired should stop you working, but she kept going. "She was tired" is the concession.

Step 2 — Choose your tool and restructure:

Step 3 — Check the grammar:

• Conjunction → Does it have subject + verb? ✅
• Preposition → Is it followed by a noun or -ing? ✅
• Adverb → Are there two separate sentences? ✅

More Transformation Examples

Whereas & While — Direct Comparison (Not Concession)

Whereas and while express a direct comparison between two different facts — neither fact is surprising, they are simply different. This is contrast without concession.

• The north is mountainous, whereas the south consists mainly of flat farmland.
• I like living in the city, whereas my partner prefers the countryside.
• While I enjoy travelling, I really hate packing my suitcase.

Don't confuse: Although and even though express concession (surprising contrast). Whereas and while express comparison (neutral contrast).

• She got the job although she had no experience. (Surprising — no experience should prevent it)
• She enjoys cooking, whereas her sister prefers eating out. (Not surprising — just different preferences)

"However" + Adjective/Adverb = "No Matter How"

In a special use, however + adjective or adverb means "no matter how." This is different from the sentence connector use:

• However hard he tried, he couldn't solve the problem. (= No matter how hard...)
• However much I practise, I can't seem to improve. (= No matter how much...)

This pattern is common in formal and academic English.

👉 Practice Mixed Contrast & Concession →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quick Summary

Choosing the Right Tool

Transformation Cheat Sheet

To convert between the three tools:

1. Conjunction → Preposition: Remove the subject, change the verb to -ing (or use a noun)
   • Although she was tired → Despite being tired / Despite her tiredness
2. Preposition → Conjunction: Add a subject + verb
   • Despite the rain → Although it was raining
3. Either → Adverb: Split into two sentences, add however/nevertheless
   • Although she was tired, she kept working → She was tired. However, she kept working.

Strength and Formality Scale

Practice Tips

1. Learn the "what follows?" test: Before choosing despite or although, look at what comes next. Noun or -ing → despite. Subject + verb → although. This one rule eliminates the most common error.

2. Practise transformations: Take any sentence with although and rewrite it with despite and however. Then do the reverse. This builds the flexibility B2 examiners look for.

3. Read opinion articles for contrast adverbs: Newspaper editorials and opinion pieces are rich in however, nevertheless, and on the other hand. Notice their position and punctuation.

4. Watch out for "despite of": Every time you write or say despite, do a quick check — is there an "of" after it? If yes, delete it (or change to in spite of).

5. Use contrast in your own writing: When you write a paragraph, try to include at least one concession. Instead of just listing positives, add a however or despite sentence to make your argument more balanced and sophisticated.

Practice All Exercises

Practise contrast and concession with multiple choice exercises online — every question comes with answers and explanations. These clauses of contrast exercises cover despite, in spite of, although, however, and nevertheless for B1–B2 learners:

Now try the exercises to practice what you've learned!