English Concession Clauses: Although, Despite, However | 英文讓步子句完整指南

Every week in an English classroom in Taiwan, at least one student writes a sentence like this: “Although it was raining, but we still went to the park.” The sentence feels completely natural — it mirrors the Mandarin structure 雖然…但是 perfectly. The problem is, in English, that sentence is wrong. You use either “although” 或者 “but” — never both.

This is the single most common concession error that Taiwanese English learners make, and it shows up in TOEIC writing, professional emails, and job applications. The fix is not just memorizing a rule — it’s understanding how English divides concession work across three grammatical categories that don’t map cleanly onto Chinese grammar.

This guide covers all three categories with clear rules, real examples from business and academic contexts, a formal alternatives section for professional writing, and a practice quiz at the end. By the time you finish, the 雖然…但是 trap will never catch you again.

Concession clauses connect contrasting ideas — and the word you choose determines the entire structure.

What Is a Concession Clause? [讓步子句是什麼？]

A concession clause acknowledges one fact and then introduces a contrasting or surprising outcome. The concession says “I know X is true” — and the main clause says “but Y happened anyway, regardless of X.”

Mandarin: 雖然天氣很冷，但是我還是去跑步了。
English: Although the weather was cold, I still went running.

Notice what disappeared in the English version: the 但是. The word “although” carries the full concession load by itself. Adding “but” after is redundant — like putting two brakes on one side of a bicycle. English splits this work differently, and getting that split right is the entire skill.

There are three main categories of concession words in English, and mixing up their grammar produces different kinds of errors. Each category has its own rules for what must follow it and where punctuation goes.

Category 1 — Subordinating Conjunctions [附屬連接詞]

Although, even though, though, while, whereas

These words turn one clause into a dependent clause — a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence. They glue two clauses into one sentence.

In business English, concession language signals confidence — you acknowledge the other side before making your point.

Three rules that never change:

1. No “but” after although/even though. “Although it was late, but we stayed” is wrong. “Although” already carries the contrast. Remove “but.”
2. The dependent clause can go first or second. “Although it was late, we stayed” works just as well as “We stayed, although it was late.” Same meaning, slightly different emphasis.
3. Comma rule: If the concession clause comes first, use a comma. If it comes second, no comma is needed (though many writers add one for clarity).

Real examples from professional contexts:

• Although the client extended the deadline, the team still delivered the first draft early.
• Even though she had studied English for eight years, the job interview felt more difficult than she expected.
• The project finished within budget, though the timeline was significantly compressed.

“While” and “whereas” express a different flavor of concession — a side-by-side contrast between two truths that exist simultaneously, rather than a surprising result:

• While Taipei has excellent public transport, getting around rural Taiwan still requires a car.
• Whereas the old approval process required three signatures, the new system needs only one.

Category 2 — Sentence Connectors [連接副詞]

However, nevertheless, nonetheless, still, yet

These connect two separate sentences — or two independent clauses joined by a semicolon. This is the biggest structural difference from Category 1, and where most learners make their second most common error.

Sentence connectors like “however” and “nevertheless” sit between two balanced, independent clauses.

Punctuation rules:

• Period or semicolon before the connector. Comma after.
• “The report was late. However, the client accepted it without complaint.” ✅
• “The report was late, however the client accepted it.” ❌ (comma splice)

One advantage of sentence connectors: they can appear mid-sentence for emphasis or formality. “The report was late; the client, however, accepted it without complaint.”

Real examples:

• The Q3 numbers missed the target. Nevertheless, the board approved next year’s expansion budget.
• The hotel room was smaller than expected. Nonetheless, the conference location was ideal.
• The system had been updated twice that year. Yet the same bug appeared again in November.

“Still” works as an informal sentence connector: “The flight was delayed four hours. We still made it to the meeting on time.”

Category 3 — Prepositions [介系詞]

Despite, in spite of

These are prepositions, not conjunctions — which means they must be followed by a noun or noun phrase, never a full clause with a subject and verb.

Despite difficulties — the preposition “despite” is always followed by a noun, gerund, or noun phrase, never a clause.

The key rule: when you need a verb after “despite,” use the gerund (-ing form).

• ❌ Despite she was tired, she answered every question.
• ✅ Despite being tired, she answered every question.
• ❌ Despite of the rain, we continued. (“Despite of” does not exist.)
• ✅ Despite the rain, we continued.

“In spite of” means exactly the same as “despite.” Use it when the slightly more formal tone fits the context.

• Despite the tight deadline, the team delivered clean work.
• In spite of three failed prototypes, the engineering team kept iterating.
• Despite having no prior experience in finance, she passed the CFA Level 1 exam on her first attempt.

A useful self-check: if you can replace “despite” with “because of” and the noun phrase still makes grammatical sense (even if the meaning changes), the structure is correct. “Because of the rain / Despite the rain” — both work. “Because of she was tired” — doesn’t work, so “Despite she was tired” is also wrong.

The “雖然…但是” Trap — Most Common Error [最常見錯誤]

The “although…but” error is the most common concession mistake among Taiwanese English learners.

In Mandarin, both halves of a concession sentence carry grammatical weight: 雖然 + clause, 但是 + clause. Remove either word and the sentence feels incomplete. English works differently — only one concession word is used, and it takes full responsibility for the contrast.

Common error patterns and corrections:

• ❌ “Although the price was high, but we decided to buy it.” → ✅ “Although the price was high, we decided to buy it.”
• ❌ “Even though she tried hard, however she didn’t pass.” → ✅ “Even though she tried hard, she didn’t pass.” OR “She tried hard. However, she didn’t pass.”
• ❌ “Despite of the difficulty, he continued.” → ✅ “Despite the difficulty, he continued.”
• ❌ “Though the meeting ran long, but we covered all agenda items.” → ✅ “Though the meeting ran long, we covered all agenda items.”

A memory trick: think of “although” and “but” as two competitors for the same job. Only one gets hired per sentence. Same with “even though” and “however” — they can appear in the same paragraph, but not in the same clause.

Formal Alternatives for Business and Academic Writing [商業英文進階表達]

Formal concession phrases signal intellectual confidence — you acknowledge the opposing point before making your case.

For professional reports, presentations, and high-stakes emails, these alternatives elevate your writing above standard textbook English:

Acknowledging a criticism before your main argument:

• “Granted, the timeline is aggressive. The team has, however, successfully delivered under tighter constraints before.”
• “Admittedly, the first-quarter figures were disappointing. The recovery in Q2 and Q3 tells a different story.”
• “It is true that the initial cost is significant. The ten-year ROI projection, nonetheless, justifies the investment.”

Minimizing the concession:

• “While challenges remain, the momentum is clearly positive.”
• “The approach is unconventional. That said, the results are difficult to argue with.”
• “There are risks. Be that as it may, inaction carries greater risks still.”

“That said,” “granted,” and “admittedly” are markers of sophisticated professional English. They show you can acknowledge a counterpoint before making your case — a rhetorical move that signals confidence, not weakness.

Quick Reference Chart [快速參考表]

Choosing the right concession word depends on its grammatical category — conjunction, connector, or preposition.

Practice Quiz [練習題]

Choose the grammatically correct option for each sentence.

1. _____ the company raised salaries, several key employees still resigned.
   (a) Despite   (b) Although   (c) However
2. The project ran over budget. _____, the final product exceeded every quality benchmark.
   (a) Although   (b) Despite   (c) Nevertheless
3. _____ working 12-hour days for three weeks, the team delivered on schedule.
   (a) Even though   (b) Despite   (c) However
4. _____ the contract was signed, the client requested additional scope changes.
   (a) Although   (b) Despite of   (c) Even though, but
5. The software failed the first stress test. _____, it passed all functionality checks.
   (a) Although   (b) However   (c) Despite

Answers: 1-b | 2-c | 3-b | 4-a | 5-b

If you missed any, go back to the category that covers the word you confused. The answer reveals which grammar category to review — not just which word was wrong.

A note for TOEIC and IELTS candidates: concession clauses appear in both the reading and writing sections of these exams. The most tested error is exactly the “although…but” double-marker from Question 1. Expect one version of that trap in every grammar section.

Internal Resources [相關文章]

These articles on 18kenglish.com build directly on the connecting language covered above:

• English Linking Words: The Complete Taiwan Guide — covers transition words that work alongside concession language
• 12 Common English Mistakes Taiwanese Learners Make — the “although…but” error appears in a broader grammar mistakes context
• Second Conditional: Complete Guide — concession clauses often appear inside conditional structures

來源

1. Cambridge Dictionary — Although, though, even though, despite, in spite of — definitive grammar reference for concession conjunctions and prepositions
2. British Council — Concession conjunctions — learner-focused explanations with examples
3. EnglishGrammar.org — Conjunctions of Contrast — contrast and concession structures with practice exercises