In spite of, Despite, However, Although

In spite of, Despite, However, Although

Linking words are the glue that holds good writing together. At B2–C1 level, examiners expect you to show contrast accurately and naturally, especially in essays, reports, and reviews. Four expressions that often cause confusion are in spite of, despite, however, and although. They all express contrast — but they work in very different grammatical ways.

Let’s clear up the confusion once and for all (no more crossed-out sentences in the exam hall).

In spite of

Meaning: In spite of means “even though something is true, the result is unexpected.”

Grammar rule

👉 In spite of + noun / pronoun / -ing form

❌ NOT followed by a full clause.

• In spite of the rain, the match continued.
• In spite of feeling tired, she stayed up to finish the report.
• In spite of his lack of experience, he got the job.

Common mistake

❌ In spite of he was tired…

✅ In spite of being tired…

Using ‘in spite of’ + noun/-ing is a strong alternative to ‘although’ and shows grammatical range.

Despite

Let’s say this loudly and proudly: Despite is NEVER followed by “of.”

Despite means the same as in spite of, but it sounds slightly more formal.

Grammar rule

👉 Despite + noun/pronoun / -ing

• Despite the delay, the project was completed on time.
• Despite working long hours, he struggled complete the task on time.
• Despite her young age, she showed remarkable confidence.

Common mistake

❌ Despite of the bad weather…

✅ Despite the bad weather…

Despite works beautifully in formal writing tasks like reports and proposals.

Although

Meaning: Although indicates a contrast within a sentence.

Grammar rule

👉 Although + subject + verb (a full clause)

• Although it was raining, they went for a walk.
• She accepted the offer, although the salary was lower than expected.
• Although he had revised thoroughly, he felt nervous during the exam.

You can place it at the beginning of the sentence, or in the middle (after a comma). Although is perfect for balanced, academic-style sentences in essays.

However

Meaning: However also shows contrast, but it connects two separate ideas, not one sentence. However is a sentence connector. It is usually at the beginning of a sentence or after a semicolon

• The plan sounded promising. However, it proved difficult to implement.
• The hotel was expensive; however, the service was excellent.
• He trained hard. However, he failed to qualify for the final.

Common mistake

❌ Although however the results were good…

(That’s two linking words fighting for the same job.)

Overusing however can make writing heavy. Use it wisely — quality over quantity.

Quick Comparison Table

 Exam-style sentence transformations

Try these — perfect for B2 First & C1 Advanced practice:

1. Although she was tired, she continued working.

→ Despite her tiredness, she continued working.

2. In spite of the traffic, they arrived on time.

→ Although there was heavy traffic, they arrived on time.

3. The task was challenging. However, they completed it successfully.

→ Although the task was challenging, they completed it successfully.

Final thought

If there is one golden rule to remember, it is this:

Although → clause

Despite / In spite of → noun or -ing

However → new sentence

Master these, and your writing instantly sounds more controlled, more natural — and far more exam-ready.

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