Contrast: Despite and In Spite Of

Despite and in spite of express contrast, just like "although," but they follow different grammar rules. The key difference is what comes after them: despite and in spite of are followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), never a full clause. Compare: "Although it rained, we went out" (clause after although) vs "Despite the rain, we went out" (noun after despite). You can also use the -ing form: "Despite being tired, she kept working."

If you want to use a full clause after despite or in spite of, add the fact that: "Despite the fact that it was raining, we went out." This longer form is grammatically correct but less elegant — in many cases, you can simply rewrite with a noun or gerund instead. A very common learner mistake is putting a clause directly after "despite": "Despite it was raining" is always wrong. Remembering this rule — despite + noun/-ing, not despite + clause — is one of the most important grammar points for B1-B2 level examinations, including Cambridge Preliminary and First.