B1 Confusable-words 11 min read Medio

Despite vs. In-spite-of: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?

They're identical twins that mean 'but anyway'. Just never, ever say 'despite of'.
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Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds

Use 'despite' or 'in spite of' to show a surprising contrast, but never put 'of' after 'despite'.

  • Rule 1: Use 'Despite' + Noun/Gerund. Example: 'Despite the rain, we went out.'
  • Rule 2: Use 'In spite of' + Noun/Gerund. Example: 'In spite of the rain, we went out.'
  • Rule 3: Never say 'Despite of'. It is always just 'Despite' alone.
Despite / In spite of + 🧩 (Noun) / 🏃‍♂️-ing (Gerund) = 😮 (Surprise)

Overview

### Overview
En el fascinante camino de aprender inglés, uno de los desafíos más comunes para nosotros, los hispanohablantes, es expresar la idea de concesión. ¿Qué es esto? Básicamente, es cuando queremos admitir que existe un hecho o una circunstancia, pero que, a pesar de ello, ocurre algo inesperado o contrario.
En español, nuestra herramienta principal es la frase a pesar de. En inglés, tenemos dos opciones que suelen generar muchas dudas: despite e in spite of.
Lo primero que debes saber, y esto te quitará un peso de encima, es que despite e in spite of son sinónimos exactos. Tienen el mismo significado, cumplen la misma función gramatical y se pueden intercambiar en prácticamente cualquier situación sin cambiar el sentido de la frase. Ambos se traducen directamente como nuestro a pesar de.
  • The team won the match despite having two injured players. (El equipo ganó el partido a pesar de tener dos jugadores lesionados).
  • The team won the match in spite of having two injured players. (El equipo ganó el partido a pesar de tener dos jugadores lesionados).
Como ves, el resultado (ganar el partido) es sorprendente dada la circunstancia (jugadores lesionados). La única diferencia real es estructural: despite es una sola palabra, mientras que in spite of es una frase de tres palabras. Esta distinción es puramente formal.
Sin embargo, para dominar su uso, debemos entender que ambas funcionan como preposiciones. Este es el secreto para no cometer errores: en inglés, las preposiciones tienen reglas muy estrictas sobre qué palabras pueden ir después de ellas. A lo largo de esta guía, exploraremos cómo aplicar estas reglas para que tu inglés suene natural, fluido y, sobre todo, correcto.
### How This Grammar Works
Para entender cómo funcionan despite e in spite of, primero debemos pensar en cómo usamos el español. En nuestra lengua, decimos
a pesar de la lluvia
(sustantivo) o
a pesar de estar cansado
(infinitivo). En inglés, la lógica es muy similar, pero con un matiz importante en las formas verbales.
La regla de oro es: despite e in spite of son preposiciones. Por lo tanto, deben ir seguidas de un objeto. En gramática inglesa, un objeto puede ser un sustantivo, un pronombre o un gerundio (la forma -ing).
Nunca, bajo ninguna circunstancia, pueden ir seguidos directamente de una oración completa con sujeto y verbo conjugado (lo que llamamos una *clause*).
Veamos los tres escenarios posibles que permiten estas palabras:
  1. 1Seguidos de un sustantivo o frase sustantiva (Noun Phrase):
Esta es la forma más sencilla y directa. Simplemente mencionas el obstáculo.
  • Despite the rain, we went for a walk. (A pesar de la lluvia, fuimos a caminar).
  • In spite of the traffic, she arrived on time. (A pesar del tráfico, ella llegó a tiempo).
  1. 1Seguidos de un gerundio (Gerund -ing):
Aquí es donde muchos hispanohablantes fallamos. En español, después de a pesar de, usamos el infinitivo (
a pesar de comer
). Pero en inglés, las preposiciones siempre exigen la forma -ing.
  • Despite feeling sick, he went to work. (A pesar de sentirse mal, fue a trabajar).
  • In spite of losing the first set, Nadal won the match. (A pesar de perder el primer set, Nadal ganó el partido).
  1. 1Seguidos de un pronombre:
Puedes usar pronombres como this, that o everything.
  • He was very rude. Despite that, I tried to be nice. (Él fue muy grosero. A pesar de eso, intenté ser amable).
  • In spite of everything, they are still friends. (A pesar de todo, siguen siendo amigos).
¿Qué pasa si necesito usar una oración completa (sujeto + verbo)?
Imagina que quieres decir:
A pesar de que él no tenía experiencia...
. En inglés no puedes decir *despite he had no experience. Para solucionar esto, usamos un puente gramatical: la frase the fact that (el hecho de que). Como fact es un sustantivo, cumple la regla de la preposición.
  • Despite the fact that he had no experience, he got the job. (A pesar del hecho de que no tenía experiencia, consiguió el trabajo).
### Formation Pattern
Para que no se te olvide la estructura, vamos a visualizarla. Recuerda que la frase con despite o in spite of puede ir al principio o al medio de la oración. Si va al principio, siempre ponemos una coma antes de la oración principal.
Patrón 1: Con sustantivo o gerundio
| Posición | Estructura | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Al inicio | Despite / In spite of + [Sustantivo/Gerundio], + Oración principal | Despite the noise, I slept well. |
| Al inicio | Despite / In spite of + [Sustantivo/Gerundio], + Oración principal | In spite of being tired, she studied. |
| Al medio | Oración principal + despite / in spite of + [Sustantivo/Gerundio] | I slept well despite the noise. |
| Al medio | Oración principal + despite / in spite of + [Sustantivo/Gerundio] | She studied in spite of being tired. |
Patrón 2: Con una oración completa (Sujeto + Verbo)
Aquí es donde usamos el comodín the fact that. Es una estructura más larga, pero muy útil en contextos académicos o profesionales.
| Posición | Estructura | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Al inicio | Despite the fact that + [Sujeto + Verbo], + Oración principal | Despite the fact that it was late, he called me. |
| Al medio | Oración principal + in spite of the fact that + [Sujeto + Verbo] | He called me in spite of the fact that it was late. |
### When To Use It
Decidir cuándo usar despite o in spite of depende mucho del contexto y del estilo que quieras proyectar. Aunque significan lo mismo, aquí te doy unos consejos para sonar más natural:
  1. 1Para sonar más profesional y conciso:
En el mundo de los negocios, correos electrónicos corporativos o ensayos universitarios, despite suele ser el favorito. ¿Por qué? Porque es una sola palabra. El inglés profesional valora la brevedad (conciseness). Si estás escribiendo un reporte para tu jefe, usa despite.
  • Despite the economic downturn, our sales increased. (A pesar de la baja económica, nuestras ventas aumentaron).
  1. 1Para dar énfasis o variedad rítmica:
In spite of tiene un ritmo más marcado debido a sus tres sílabas. A veces, en el lenguaje hablado o en la literatura, se usa para enfatizar el obstáculo. No es que sea informal, pero se siente un poco más conversacional que despite.
  • In spite of all my efforts, I failed the exam. (A pesar de todos mis esfuerzos, reprobé el examen).
  1. 1Para evitar la repetición:
Si estás escribiendo un texto largo y ya usaste although (aunque) o but (pero), cambiar a despite o in spite of hará que tu escritura se vea mucho más avanzada. El nivel B1 se trata precisamente de eso: de dejar de usar siempre las mismas palabras básicas y empezar a usar estructuras más variadas.
  1. 1El uso de la coma:
¡Ojo aquí! Si empiezas con Despite..., la coma es obligatoria para separar la idea secundaria de la principal. Si lo pones en medio, generalmente no necesitas coma. Esto es igual que en español:
  • A pesar de la lluvia, salimos.
    (Coma necesaria).
  • Salimos a pesar de la lluvia.
    (Sin coma).
### Common Mistakes
Como profesor, veo estos errores una y otra vez en estudiantes que hablan español. La mayoría ocurren por la interferencia de nuestra lengua materna (L1 transfer). ¡Presta mucha atención!
Error #1: El fantasma del of — *Despite of
Este es el error número uno. Como en español decimos
a pesar de
y en inglés existe in spite of, nuestro cerebro asume automáticamente que despite también lleva of. ¡Error! Despite nunca, jamás, lleva of.
  • Incorrecto: *Despite of the cold...
  • Correcto: Despite the cold... o In spite of the cold...
Error #2: Usar el infinitivo en lugar del gerundio
En español decimos
A pesar de llegar tarde
. Como llegar es infinitivo, tendemos a decir *despite to arrive. Recuerda: después de una preposición en inglés, el verbo siempre va en -ing.
  • Incorrecto: *In spite of to be busy...
  • Correcto: In spite of being busy...
Error #3: Olvidar the fact that
En español es muy común decir
A pesar de que...
seguido de un verbo. En inglés, no puedes poner un verbo directamente después de despite. Si quieres usar un sujeto y un verbo, necesitas el puente.
  • Incorrecto: *Despite she is rich, she is unhappy.
  • Correcto: Despite the fact that she is rich... o simplemente Despite being rich...
Error #4: Escribir inspite como una sola palabra
In spite of son tres palabras separadas. No es como instante o insistir. Asegúrate de poner los espacios correctamente.
  • Incorrecto: *Inspite of the help...
  • Correcto: In spite of the help...
### Contrast With Similar Patterns
Es muy común confundir despite con although o even though. La diferencia no está en el significado (todos significan algo similar a aunque o a pesar de), sino en la gramática que les sigue.
| Palabra | Categoría Gramatical | ¿Qué le sigue? | Ejemplo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Despite / In spite of | Preposición | Sustantivo o Gerundio (-ing) | Despite the rain... |
| Although / Even though | Conjunción | Sujeto + Verbo conjugado | Although it was raining... |
La prueba de fuego:
Si puedes poner the fact that después, entonces necesitas una preposición (despite). Si la oración suena completa por sí misma, necesitas una conjunción (although).
  • Con conjunción: Although I was tired, I finished. (Aunque estaba cansado, terminé).
  • Con preposición: Despite being tired, I finished. (A pesar de estar cansado, terminé).
### Quick FAQ
1. ¿Es despite más formal que in spite of?
Ligeramente. En textos académicos y profesionales verás despite con más frecuencia porque es más directo. Sin embargo, in spite of es perfectamente aceptable en cualquier contexto, incluso en los más formales.
2. ¿Puedo usar despite con un verbo en pasado?
No directamente. No puedes decir *despite I went. Tienes que convertir el verbo en gerundio (despite going) o usar la estructura larga (despite the fact that I went).
3. ¿Cuál es el error más grave que puedo cometer?
Sin duda, decir *despite of. Es la marca clara de un estudiante que todavía está traduciendo literalmente del español. Si logras eliminar ese of después de despite, tu nivel de inglés percibido subirá instantáneamente.
4. ¿Existe alguna situación donde NO sean intercambiables?
En términos de significado, no. Son 100% intercambiables. La elección es tuya, basada en qué tan larga quieres que sea tu frase o qué tan rítmica prefieres que suene. ¡Usa ambos para demostrar que tienes un vocabulario amplio!

Structure of Concessive Prepositions

Preposition Followed By Example
Despite
Noun Phrase
Despite the rain
In spite of
Noun Phrase
In spite of the rain
Despite
Gerund (-ing)
Despite being tired
In spite of
Gerund (-ing)
In spite of being tired
Despite
The fact that + Clause
Despite the fact that it rained
In spite of
The fact that + Clause
In spite of the fact that it rained
Despite
Pronoun
Despite that
In spite of
Pronoun
In spite of this

Meanings

These words are used to express a contrast between two things, usually when the second thing is surprising or unexpected given the first thing.

1

Basic Contrast

Used to show that something happened even though something else might have prevented it.

“In spite of the cold, he didn't wear a coat.”

“Despite her injury, she won the race.”

2

With 'The Fact That'

Used before a full clause (subject + verb) by adding the phrase 'the fact that'.

“Despite the fact that it was midnight, he was still working.”

“In spite of the fact that she is rich, she lives very simply.”

3

Pronoun Usage

Used directly before pronouns like 'this', 'that', or 'what'.

“In spite of that, I still love him.”

“Despite what you think, I am actually trying to help.”

Reference Table

Reference table for Despite vs. In-spite-of: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
Form Structure Example
Affirmative (Noun)
Despite + Noun
Despite the heat, we ran.
Affirmative (Gerund)
In spite of + Verb-ing
In spite of feeling ill, I worked.
With Clause
Despite the fact that + S + V
Despite the fact that he is old, he is fit.
Negative Gerund
Despite not + Verb-ing
Despite not having a map, we found it.
Pronoun
In spite of + Pronoun
In spite of everything, she is happy.
Sentence End
Clause + despite + Noun
I went out despite the rain.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
Despite the inclement weather, we proceeded with our walk.

Despite the inclement weather, we proceeded with our walk. (Daily activity)

Neutral
Despite the rain, we went for a walk.

Despite the rain, we went for a walk. (Daily activity)

Informal
We went for a walk even though it was pouring.

We went for a walk even though it was pouring. (Daily activity)

Jerga
We went out anyway, even with the rain and all.

We went out anyway, even with the rain and all. (Daily activity)

Contrast Prepositions Map

Contrast

Prepositions

  • Despite Takes a noun
  • In spite of Takes a noun

Conjunctions

  • Although Takes a sentence
  • Even though Takes a sentence

Despite vs. Although

Despite
the rain (Noun)
Although
it was raining (Subject + Verb)

Choosing the Right Word

1

Is it followed by a Noun?

YES
Use 'Despite' or 'In spite of'
NO
Go to next question
2

Is it followed by a Subject + Verb?

YES
Use 'Although' or 'Even though'
NO
Check for 'the fact that'

Common Nouns used with Despite

🌦️

Weather

  • • the rain
  • • the cold
  • • the heat
🧠

Feelings

  • • the pain
  • • the fear
  • • the stress
Regístrate gratis para leer la explicación completa

Ejemplos por nivel

1

Despite the rain, I am happy.

A pesar de la lluvia, soy feliz.

2

In spite of the cold, we played outside.

A pesar del frío, jugamos afuera.

3

He is fast despite his age.

Él es rápido a pesar de su edad.

4

In spite of the noise, she is sleeping.

A pesar del ruido, ella está durmiendo.

1

Despite having no money, he bought a gift.

A pesar de no tener dinero, compró un regalo.

2

In spite of being sick, she went to school.

A pesar de estar enferma, fue a la escuela.

3

They arrived late despite leaving early.

Llegaron tarde a pesar de salir temprano.

4

In spite of the bad food, we had fun.

A pesar de la mala comida, nos divertimos.

1

Despite the fact that it was late, he called me.

A pesar de que era tarde, me llamó.

2

In spite of all his hard work, he failed.

A pesar de todo su trabajo duro, falló.

3

She stayed calm despite the emergency.

Ella se mantuvo tranquila a pesar de la emergencia.

4

In spite of what the doctor said, he feels better.

A pesar de lo que dijo el doctor, se siente mejor.

1

Despite the government's efforts, inflation rose.

A pesar de los esfuerzos del gobierno, la inflación subió.

2

In spite of having been warned, they entered the building.

A pesar de haber sido advertidos, entraron al edificio.

3

The project was a success despite the limited budget.

El proyecto fue un éxito a pesar del presupuesto limitado.

4

In spite of the fact that she had never flown before, she wasn't nervous.

A pesar de que nunca había volado antes, no estaba nerviosa.

1

Despite the overwhelming evidence, he maintained his innocence.

A pesar de la evidencia abrumadora, mantuvo su inocencia.

2

In spite of the inherent risks, the explorers pushed forward.

A pesar de los riesgos inherentes, los exploradores avanzaron.

3

The company thrived despite there being a global recession.

La empresa prosperó a pesar de que había una recesión global.

4

In spite of her reservations, she agreed to the proposal.

A pesar de sus reservas, aceptó la propuesta.

1

Notwithstanding the objections raised, the motion was passed.

No obstante las objeciones planteadas, la moción fue aprobada.

2

Despite his being a relative newcomer, he was appointed CEO.

A pesar de ser un recién llegado, fue nombrado CEO.

3

In spite of the fact that the theory is widely accepted, some anomalies remain.

A pesar de que la teoría es ampliamente aceptada, quedan algunas anomalías.

4

He persevered, despite the odds being stacked against him.

Perseveró, a pesar de que las probabilidades estaban en su contra.

Fácil de confundir

Despite vs. In-spite-of: What's the Difference? vs Although vs. Despite

Learners use them with the wrong structures because they mean the same thing.

Despite vs. In-spite-of: What's the Difference? vs Regardless of vs. Despite

Both show contrast, but 'regardless of' means the condition is ignored, while 'despite' means the condition was a problem that was overcome.

Despite vs. In-spite-of: What's the Difference? vs But vs. Despite

Learners try to use both in the same sentence.

Errores comunes

✗

Despite of the rain.

✓

Despite the rain.

Never use 'of' with 'despite'.
✗

In spite the rain.

✓

In spite of the rain.

'In spite' always needs 'of'.
✗

Despite it was raining.

✓

Despite the rain.

You cannot put a sentence (it was raining) after 'despite'.
✗

Although the rain.

✓

Despite the rain.

'Although' needs a subject and a verb.
✗

Despite to be tired.

✓

Despite being tired.

Use the -ing form (gerund), not the infinitive.
✗

In spite of he was sick.

✓

In spite of being sick.

Don't use a subject + verb after 'in spite of'.
✗

Despite of his age.

✓

Despite his age.

Still the 'of' error, very persistent at A2.
✗

Despite the fact it was raining.

✓

Despite the fact that it was raining.

Don't forget the 'that' in the long phrase.
✗

In spite of not have money.

✓

In spite of not having money.

Negative gerunds still need the -ing.
✗

Despite of what I said.

✓

Despite what I said.

The 'of' error even with pronouns.
✗

Despite that it was raining.

✓

Despite the fact that it was raining.

In formal writing, 'despite that' is often considered too informal compared to 'despite the fact that'.

Patrones de oraciones

Despite ___, I still ___.

In spite of ___ing, she ___.

He ___ despite the fact that ___.

Despite ___, ___ notwithstanding.

Real World Usage

Job Interviews common

I completed the project on time despite a very limited budget.

Weather Reports very common

In spite of the storm, the airport remains open.

Social Media occasional

Had a blast despite the rain! #vacation

Academic Essays constant

Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights.

Customer Service common

We are processing your order despite the current holiday delays.

Sports Commentary very common

They won the game despite losing their best player in the first half.

Regístrate gratis para ver todos los ejemplos
⚠️

The 'Of' Trap

Never write 'despite of'. It is the most common error for English learners. If you want to use 'of', you must use 'in spite of'.
🎯

Use Gerunds for Flow

If you want your writing to flow better, use a gerund (-ing) after despite. 'Despite being tired' sounds better than 'Despite the fact that he was tired'.
💡

Interchangeability

If you are unsure which one to use, just pick 'despite'. It is shorter, works in all situations, and is always correct as long as you don't add 'of'.
💬

Formal vs Informal

In a very casual text message, you might just use 'even though'. Save 'despite' for when you want to sound a bit more serious or clear.

Smart Tips

Replace one of your 'but' sentences with a 'Despite' sentence at the start to improve your grade.

The results were good, but the sample size was small. → Despite the small sample size, the results were good.

Count the words. 'In spite of' has 3 words. 'Despite' has 1. They never share.

Despite of the cost... → Despite the cost...

Always use the 'bridge' phrase: 'the fact that'.

Despite he was late... → Despite the fact that he was late...

Use 'In spite of' and link the words: 'inspit-ov'.

In. Spite. Of. The. Rain. → Inspitov the rain.

Pronunciación

/dɪˈspaɪt/

Despite Stress

The stress is on the second syllable: de-SPITE.

/ɪn spaɪt əv/

In Spite Of Link

In natural speech, 'spite' and 'of' link together. It sounds like 'spit-ov'.

Comma Pause

Despite the rain [pause], we went out.

When 'despite' starts a sentence, there is a slight rising intonation before the comma pause.

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

Despite is 'D-light' (delight) because it's only one word. In spite of is a 'Trio' (three words).

Asociación visual

Imagine a runner crossing a finish line while it's pouring rain. The rain is the 'Noun' following 'Despite'. The runner is the 'Success' that happened anyway.

Rhyme

Despite the rain, I feel no pain. In spite of the cold, I'm feeling bold.

Story

A man named Dan wanted to hike. Despite the storm, he went. In spite of the wind, he climbed. He reached the top despite the fact that he was exhausted.

Word Web

DespiteIn spite ofAlthoughContrastGerundNounConcession

Desafío

Write three sentences about your day using 'despite' + a noun, 'in spite of' + a gerund, and 'despite the fact that'.

Notas culturales

British speakers use both 'despite' and 'in spite of' frequently, but 'in spite of' can sometimes sound slightly more traditional in spoken dialects.

American English leans heavily on 'despite' in news and professional contexts, while 'even though' is much more common in casual speech than 'in spite of'.

In global academic English, 'despite' is preferred for its brevity. Using 'in spite of' in a research paper is correct but might be edited to 'despite' to save space.

'Despite' comes from the Old French 'despit', meaning 'contempt' or 'scorn'. It originally meant 'in contempt of'.

Inicios de conversación

“

What is something you did recently despite being very tired?

“

Have you ever traveled somewhere in spite of bad weather?

“

Despite the fact that technology is everywhere, what is one 'old-fashioned' thing you still love?

“

What is a goal you achieved despite the odds being against you?

Temas para diario

Write about a time you succeeded at something despite having no experience.
Describe a person you admire who succeeded in spite of many challenges.
Argue for or against a topic (e.g., social media) using 'despite the fact that' at least twice.

Errores comunes

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

Incorrect

Correcto

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Test Yourself

Fill in the blank with 'Despite' or 'In spite of'.

___ the heavy rain, the football match continued.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite
We need a preposition for the noun 'heavy rain'. 'Despite' is correct. 'Despite of' is never correct.
Find the error in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Despite of his injury, he finished the marathon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite of
The 'of' should be removed. It should be 'Despite his injury'.
Choose the grammatically correct sentence. Opción múltiple

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: In spite of the cold, we went swimming.
'In spite of' is correctly followed by the noun phrase 'the cold'.
Rewrite the sentence using 'Despite'. Sentence Transformation

Although she was tired, she kept working.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite being tired, she kept working.
When changing from 'although' to 'despite', the verb 'was' becomes the gerund 'being'.
Match the beginning of the sentence to the correct ending. Match Pairs

Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-it was late, he stayed. / 2-the noise, I slept. / 3-it was raining, I went out.
Matches the grammar structure to the correct following phrase.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.

In spite of ___ (not have) much money, they are very happy.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: not having
After 'in spite of', we use the gerund (-ing) form.
Which word CANNOT fill the blank? Opción múltiple

___ the bad weather, we had a great time.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Although
'Although' cannot be followed by a noun phrase like 'the bad weather'.
Correct the sentence: 'She passed the test despite she didn't study.' Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

What is the correct version?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She passed the test despite not studying.
Uses 'despite' + negative gerund correctly.

Score: /8

Ejercicios de practica

8 exercises
Fill in the blank with 'Despite' or 'In spite of'.

___ the heavy rain, the football match continued.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite
We need a preposition for the noun 'heavy rain'. 'Despite' is correct. 'Despite of' is never correct.
Find the error in the sentence. Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

Despite of his injury, he finished the marathon.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite of
The 'of' should be removed. It should be 'Despite his injury'.
Choose the grammatically correct sentence. Opción múltiple

Which sentence is correct?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: In spite of the cold, we went swimming.
'In spite of' is correctly followed by the noun phrase 'the cold'.
Rewrite the sentence using 'Despite'. Sentence Transformation

Although she was tired, she kept working.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite being tired, she kept working.
When changing from 'although' to 'despite', the verb 'was' becomes the gerund 'being'.
Match the beginning of the sentence to the correct ending. Match Pairs

1. Despite the fact that... / 2. In spite of... / 3. Although...

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: 1-it was late, he stayed. / 2-the noise, I slept. / 3-it was raining, I went out.
Matches the grammar structure to the correct following phrase.
Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb.

In spite of ___ (not have) much money, they are very happy.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: not having
After 'in spite of', we use the gerund (-ing) form.
Which word CANNOT fill the blank? Opción múltiple

___ the bad weather, we had a great time.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Although
'Although' cannot be followed by a noun phrase like 'the bad weather'.
Correct the sentence: 'She passed the test despite she didn't study.' Error Correction

Find and fix the mistake:

What is the correct version?

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She passed the test despite not studying.
Uses 'despite' + negative gerund correctly.

Score: /8

Practice Bank

11 exercises
Complete the sentence with the correct option. Completar huecos

We had a great time ___ the awful weather.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: in spite of
Which of the following sentences is correct? Opción múltiple

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite studying hard, she failed.
Find and fix the error in the sentence below. Error Correction

He refused to give up, in spite he was losing badly.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: He refused to give up, in spite of the fact that he was losing badly.
Translate the given idea into a correct English sentence using 'despite'. Traducción

Translate into English: 'Even though she was afraid, she walked onto the stage.'

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: ["Despite being afraid, she walked onto the stage.","Despite her fear, she walked onto the stage."]
Put the words in the correct order to form a sentence. Sentence Reorder

Arrange these words into a sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They went swimming in spite of the warnings.
Match the beginning of the sentence with its correct ending. Match Pairs

Match the sentence halves:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: matched
Complete the sentence with the most appropriate option. Completar huecos

___ the fact that the instructions were in Japanese, I managed to build the shelf.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite
Which sentence is NOT grammatically correct? Opción múltiple

Choose the incorrect sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: Despite of its high price, people still buy it.
Find and correct the grammatical error in the sentence. Error Correction

Inspite of the risk, he invested all his money.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: In spite of the risk, he invested all his money.
Arrange the words to make a correct sentence. Sentence Reorder

Put these words in order:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I didn't believe his sincerity despite the fact that he apologized.
Fill in the blank. Completar huecos

She failed the exam ___ she had a private tutor.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: in spite of the fact that

Score: /11

Preguntas frecuentes (8)

Yes, `despite` is generally considered slightly more formal and is more common in academic and professional writing. However, both are perfectly acceptable in all situations.

Absolutely! Just remember to put a comma after the noun phrase. For example: `Despite the rain, we went out.`

It's simply a rule of the language. `Despite` is a single-word preposition, while `in spite of` is a three-word phrasal preposition. Mixing them is a common error.

Only if you add `the fact that`. You cannot say `Despite it was raining`. You must say `Despite the fact that it was raining`.

The difference is grammar. `Although` is followed by a subject and a verb (`Although it was raining`). `Despite` is followed by a noun (`Despite the rain`).

Yes. For example: `We went for a walk despite the rain.` This is very common.

No. In this context, it must always be `in spite of`. The word `spite` alone is a noun meaning a desire to hurt or annoy someone.

Yes, usually with a gerund. `Despite not having a map, we found the house.`

Scaffolded Practice

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In Other Languages

Spanish high

A pesar de

Spanish uses the infinitive where English uses the gerund (-ing).

French high

Malgré / En dépit de

French 'Malgré' is very common in speech, whereas 'Despite' is slightly more formal.

German moderate

Trotz

German requires a specific grammatical case (Genitive) after the word.

Japanese partial

～にもかかわらず (ni mo kakawarazu)

The word order is reversed; the contrast marker comes after the noun.

Arabic high

على الرغم من (ala al-raghm min)

It is almost always a multi-word phrase; there isn't a common one-word equivalent like 'Despite'.

Chinese moderate

尽管 (jǐnguǎn)

Chinese contrast markers often come in pairs (Although... but...).

Learning Path

Prerequisites

Previous
Few vs. Some: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?
Next
Despite vs. Although: ¿Cuál es la diferencia?

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