ESL Writing: Despite vs Although (sentence pattern & examples)

This ESL writing lesson introduces students to the differences between “despite” and “although”, which have similar meanings yet distinct usage. The several sample sentences give students an idea of how these words are used.

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Despite vs. Although

Sentence Patterns:
Despite [noun/phrase], [sentence]
Although [sentence], [sentence]

After “despite” you should only write a noun or a phrase, but after “although” you can write a complete sentence.

Example 1:

Despite her bad grades, Julie got into a good school.
(“her bad grades” is a phrase, not a sentence)
Although she got bad grades, Julie got into a good school.
(“she got bad grades” is a complete sentence)

Example 2:

Despite the heat, Rick has not bought an air conditioner.
(“the heat” is a phrase, not a sentence)
Although it is very hot, Rick has not bought an air conditioner.
(“it is very hot” is a complete sentence)

Example 3:

Despite eating a lot of food, Lillian is still hungry.
(“eating a lot of food” is a phrase, not a sentence)
Although she ate a lot of food, Lillian is still hungry.
(“she ate a lot of food” is a complete sentence)

Remember: You can use “in spite of” instead of “despite”.
You can use “even though” or “though” instead of “although”