Although vs Despite vs However Exercises

Although, despite, and however all express contrast, but each one requires a completely different grammar structure. Although is a conjunction followed by a clause (subject + verb): "Although she was tired, she kept working." Despite is a preposition followed by a noun or -ing form: "Despite being tired, she kept working." However is a sentence connector that starts a new sentence or follows a semicolon: "She was tired. However, she kept working."

Choosing the right one depends on the grammar of your sentence, not the meaning — all three say the same thing. The most common mistakes are: putting a clause after "despite" ("Despite she was tired" is wrong) and using "however" as a conjunction like "but" ("She was tired, however she kept working" needs a full stop or semicolon before "however"). Knowing these three categories — conjunction (although), preposition (despite), and sentence connector (however) — is essential for B2 level English. Cambridge First examiners specifically look for correct usage of all three types in writing tasks.