Even Though vs. Despite
'Even though' and 'despite' are confused by learners when it comes to using them. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.
What Is Their Main Difference?
The main difference between 'even though' and 'despite' is in what they introduce. 'Even though' introduces a clause with a proper verb while 'despite' introduces a noun or noun phrase.
Meaning
'Even though' and 'despite' are synonyms. They tend to express that something happens in spite of a hurdle. We often might not expect the action to happen. In other words, we use it to describe surprising, unexpected, or unusual actions related to another action.
The bank robber got away
The bank robber got away
What Do They Introduce?
You may be wondering when to use each word. To choose which word we want to use, we have to pay attention to what we are trying to introduce:
- When we want to introduce a clause which has a proper verb, we use 'even though.'
He didn't get the job
- When we want to introduce a noun or noun clause, we use 'despite.'
He didn't get the job
We went on a picnic