CONCESSIVE CLAUSES & EXPRESSIONS:

Concessive clauses express two or more perspectives or pieces of information about the same fact. In other words, we use concessive clauses, widely in academic writing, to expose other points of view or evidence that may not support our position, while presenting the evidence, which supports our arguments. Using the concessive clauses, we allow the reader to identify the writer's position. The reader clearly establishes which argument the writer considers as the most relevant one and consequently, the one worthy of further development.  

 

Concessive expressions:

The words although, even though, though, despite, in spite of, nevertheless, nonetheless, still, whereas, yet, and however have very similar meanings; however, they are used in different structures and situations.

 

Even though and although are conjunctions.  We use them to connect contrasting ideas introducing a dependent clause.

 EVEN THOUGH

The phone woke me up, even though it wasn't very loud

I do want to give up, even though I know you do not believe in me.

  ALTHOUGH:

Although it was too hot, I took a hot bath.

Although the watch was expensive, he bought it.

 Despite and in spite of are prepositions. They go before a noun or noun equivalent.

 

·         DESPITE:

Despite having a headache, I did the exercise.

Despite the pain in his leg, he completed the marathon.

·         IN SPITE OF:

I have difficulty writing in English in spite of all my years of study.

In spite of not having an umbrella, I walked home in the rain.

However, nevertheless, nonetheless, still, whereas and yet are sentence connectors. We use them to emphasize the fact that the second point contradicts with the first.

 

·         HOWEVER:

The movie got good reviews; however, it was very long.

Camping in the summer is fun. You must, however, remember to use sunscreen.

·         NONETHELESS:

I am not supposed to eat chocolate, and it makes me fat, but nonetheless, I do have some occasionally.

There had been protests against Bolsonaro throughout the whole country, but he did not resign nonetheless.

·         STILL:

Sandro is not hard-working; still, he has managed to become a millionaire.

He has a good job, but still, he never seems to have any money.

  WHEREAS:

Whereas I like milk in my coffee, Ki-Jung likes black coffee.

The color black absorbs heat, whereas white reflects it.

YET:

It is a small car, yet it is surprisingly spacious.

We mostly tell the truth, yet sometimes I tell a white lie.

References:

 

Cambridge Dictionary, 2020 - https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pt/dicionario/ingles/concessive-clause

MyEnglishPages.com, 2020 -  https://www.myenglishpages.com/site_php_files/grammar-lesson-concessions.php

ThoughtCo.com, 2020 - https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-concessive-grammar-1689782

Phrases and Clauses

A clause is a group of words containing a subject and verb.

 

·       An independent clause is a sentence that can stand on its own.

 Example:

I am busy.

He is feeling sick.

 

·       A dependent clause cannot stand on its own. It needs an independent clause to complete a sentence.

 Example:

Dependent Clause	Independent Clause
Although she is poor,	she gave him some money.

 

A phrase is a group of words without a subject-verb component, used as a single part of speech.

 
Examples:

Best friend	This phrase acts as a noun
Needing help	This phrase acts as an adjective