MULTIMEDIA-ENGLISH
ACTIVITY SHEET (created by the user: Profe)

Before doing this activity you may need to read the text you will find at the end


  SmartMemo
How to express contrast (but, although, in spite of)
Focus Grammar
Description Practise how to express contrast with conjunctions and prepositions
Instructions 1- Look at the sentences and express that in English 2- Move your mouse over the black button to check your answer. 3- If you were right, click on the green button, if wrong, click on the red.
 
Item Match Comments
A pesar de que estaba lloviendo, fuimos andando Although it was raining, we went walking also: Though it was raining... (informal)
Él quería comprarse otro coche a pesar de tener tres He wanted to buy another car in spite of having three also: He wanted to buy another car although he had three
A pesar de comer mucho, está delgado In spite of eating a lot, he is slim
A pesar del tráfico llegué a tiempo In spite of the traffic I arrived on time
Lo aceptaré, aunque bien sé que no es bueno I'll accept it, even though I know it's not good
Aunque es negro, no es de África Although he's black, he's not from Africa
Me casaré contigo a pesar de tu padre I'll marry you in spite of your father
Ella vino, pero tú no estabas aquí She came, but you weren't here
Hizo un día muy bueno a pesar del viento It was a very nice day in spite of the wind
Aunque esté cansado iré contigo Although I'm tired, I'll go with you also: Though I'm tired... (informal)
Ella no me miró, aunque me conocía She didn't look at me, although she knew me also: ... though she knew me (informal)
Aunque no entendía nada, yo seguí sonriendo Although I didn't understand a word, I kept smiling also: Though I didn't... (informal)
Ella todavía es muy atractiva a pesar de la edad She is still very attractive in spite of her age
Es francés, pero habla inglés muy bien He's French, but he speaks English very well
Quiero ir, pero es muy tarde I want to go, but it's very late
Iré allí aunque esté muy lejos I'll go there alghouth it's very far also: ... though it's very far (informal)
A pesar de vivir muy lejos, nos vemos muy a menudo In spite of living very far away, we see each other very otten
Creo que es verdad, a pesar de que no pueda demostrarlo (enfático) I think it's true, even though I can't prove it
Es extraño pero verídico It's strange but true
Aún la recuerdo a pesar de los años I still remember her in spite of the years
A pesar de la lluvia nos fuimos andando In spite of the rain we went walking
Sé que es muy barato, pero no lo necesito I know it's very cheap, but I don't need it
No logro encontrarlo, aunque lo he buscado por todas partes I can't find it, although I've looked for it everywhere also: ... though I've looked... (informal)
Ella estaba durmiendo a pesar de todo ese ruido She was sleeping in spite of all that noise
Oigo un pájaro aunque no puedo verlo I hear a bird although I can't see it also: ... though I can't see it (informal)
Total number of items: 25
This is an activity from Multimedia-English www.multimedia-english.com
 

CONJUNCTIONS

BUT
      It's very strange, but I like it
 
(AL)THOUGH
      Although/though it's very strange, I like it
This connector may be emphasized by putting "even" before: EVEN THOUGH
     Even though it's very strange, I like it

ALTHOUGH and THOUGH mean exactly the same and are used the same, but THOUGH is more informal and more common when talking, and ALTHOUGH is more formal and more common when writing. Notice that (AL)THOUGH and BUT are both conjunctions and mean the same, but they go with different sentences:

A but B  (BUT can never go at the beginning of the sentence)
B although A / Although B, A

 

PREPOSITIONS

IN SPITE OF  (followed by a noun phrase or -ing)
      She's sleeping like a log in spite of the noise
      He was elected president in spite of his young age
 
If we want a sentence with a verb then we can’t use the preposition "in spite of", we need a conjunction like "(al)though".
      Although he is very young, he was elected president

But we can use IN SPITE OF + ING (because -ing can be the noun-form of a verb)
      In spite of loving her, he thought it was best to leave
      We didn't want to buy the house in spite of having enough money

Compare:
He stayed in bed in spite of feeling better (in spite of + ing)
He stayed in bed although he felt better (although + subject + verb)

 

For Spanish Speakers

BUT (c) = pero
(AL)THOUGH (c) = aunque, a pesar de que
IN SPITE OF (p) = a pesar de    (followed by a noun phrase)