The different ways of expressing a concession or contrast may be summed up as follows:
1. The conjunction ‘though' or ‘although'.
2. The conjunction ‘as'.
3. The relative adverb ‘however' followed by some adjective or adverb.
4. Relative pronoun ‘whatever'.
5. The phrase ‘all the same'.
6. An absolute participle followed by a noun clause.
7. The conjunction ‘even if'.
8. The preposition ‘notwithstanding' followed by a noun clause.
9. The phrases ‘nevertheless', ‘none the less'.
10. The phrase ‘for all that' followed by a noun clause.
11. The conjunction ‘if'.
12. The adverb ‘indeed' followed by the conjunction ‘but'.
Sample Usage
Examples:
1.
(a) Though this servant can be trusted, he is not efficient.
(b) Though he has not completely recovered, he is feeling much better.
2.
(a) Stylish as this furniture is, it does not appear to be durable.
(b) Poor as I am, I will not serve a villain.
3.
(a) However trivial these points may appear, they have to be discussed.
(b) However hard up he may be, he will not refuse to lend me money.
4.
(a) Whatever may be your opinion of him, he is every inch a gentleman.
(b) He is sure to be punished whatever you may say in his defence.
5.
(a) These points may appear to be trivial; all the same they have to be discussed.
(b) He has not completely recovered; all the same he is feeling much better.
6.
(a) Admitting that this furniture is stylish, it does not appear to be durable.
(b) Granting that he is shrewd, his success in this business is doubtful.
7.
(a) He is feeling much better even if he has not completely recovered.
(b) I must help him even if he plays me false.
8.
(a) Notwithstanding that I sympathize with him, I cannot help him.
(b) Notwithstanding that he has lost his all, he has never grumbled.
9.
(a) He has lost his all; nevertheless, he has never grumbled.
(b) He is facing heavy odds these days; none the less he is unruffled.
10.
(a) You have failed to convince me for all that you have said to support your point of view.
(b) He will not trust you for all that you may say in your defence.
11.
(a) If he signed the bond, he signed it under pressure.
(b) If I agreed to the proposal, I did so unwillingly.
12.
(a) He has divorced his wife indeed, but he has never been happy since.
(b) I advised him indeed, but he turned a deaf ear to all I said.
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