Although / in spite of / despite

After although we use a subject + verb:

• Although it rained a lot, we enjoyed our holiday.

• I didn't get the job although I had all the necessary qualifications.

Compare the meaning of although and because:

• We went out although it was raining.

• We didn't go out because it was raining.

After in spite of or despite, we use a noun, a pronoun (this/that/what etc.) or -ing:

• In spite of the rain, we enjoyed our holiday.

• I didn't get the job in spite of having all the necessary qualifications.

• She wasn't well, but in spite of this she went to work.

• In spite of what I said yesterday, I still love you.

Despite is the same as in spite of. Note that we say 'in spite of, but despite (without 'of'):

• She wasn't well, but despite this she went to work, (not 'despite of this')

You can say 'in spite of the fact (that)...' and 'despite the fact (that)...':

I didn’t get the job in spite of the fact that I had all the necessary qualifications

I didn’t get the job despite the fact (that) I had all the necessary qualifications.

Compare in spite of and because of:

• We went out in spite of the rain, (or ...despite the rain.)

• We didn't go out because of the rain.

Compare although and in spite of / despite:

• Although the traffic was bad. I arrived on time. (not in spite of the traffic was bad)

In spite of the traffic, I arrived on time. (not in spite of the traffic was bad)

I couldn’t sleep although I was very tired (not despite I was tired)

I couldn’t sleep despite being very tired (not despite I was tired)

Exercises:

1 _______ my warnings, he went to Colombia.

2 _______ she didn't want to see The Lord of the Rings, she enjoyed it in the end.

3 _______ of being bad at pool, she beat him three times in a row.

4 They visited Madrid _______ they didn't have time to visit El Prado.

5 _______ it was raining, we decided to go anyway.

6 She decided to go abroad for a year _______ loving her boyfriend very much.

7 He went on holiday to Thailand _______ of the expensive airfare.

8 _______ it was only the first time they met, they made friends immediately.

9 The English actor Oliver Reed was often rude to people _______ he was always kind to animals.

10 Socrates never had much money _______ being very famous in his own day.