Meaning
A concessive preposition indicating that something occurs regardless of a barrier or obstacle; functions like ‘despite’ but is slightly more formal.
Primary Function
Concessive
Communicative Purpose
To signal that the following clause will occur even though there is an opposing condition, similar to expressing resilience or inevitability.
Pattern
in spite of
Core Structure
in spite of
Função primária
Concessive
Propósito comunicativo
To signal that the following clause will occur even though there is an opposing condition, similar to expressing resilience or inevitability.
Situações de gatilho
When describing outcomes despite challenges, such as setbacks or obstacles, often used in written English for formality.
Contextos
Both spoken and written contexts where concessive reasoning is needed; common in academic, professional, and literary writing.
Padrão
in spite of
Estrutura central
in spite of
Slots de substituição
a noun phrase or a gerund
Colocados típicos
- difficulties
- efforts
- warnings
Substituições comuns
- despite
- notwithstanding
Erros comuns
Omitting 'of' or using 'of' after a different preposition
Similar / contraste
despite
Interferências
Learners may default to informal alternatives like 'even though'
Família do chunk
- concessive connectors
Nuance
Slightly more formal and literary than 'despite'
Efeito pragmático
Conveys resilience or inevitability
Dica de memória
in spite of all efforts
Nota
This chunk is more common in formal and written registers, such as in academic papers, professional documents, and literary texts. It is less frequent in everyday casual speech, where 'despite' is often preferred for its brevity and informality.
Upgrade path
despite
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