Meaning & use
although
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Meaning
conjunction
Despite the fact that; used to contrast a surprising or limiting idea with the main part of the sentence.
Grammar: Joins two clauses: 'Although it was late, we kept working.' It cannot stand alone at the end like 'though' can.
Patterns
- although + clause
- although + adjective
- although + subject + verb
Although she was tired, she finished the report.
He still went for a run although it was raining.
Although the car is old, it runs perfectly.
Common combinations
- although it is true that
- Although it is true that the plan has risks, we should still consider it.
- although not always
- The service is good, although not always fast.
- although in theory
- Although in theory the system works, in practice it often fails.
- although at first
- Although at first the task seemed easy, it turned out to be difficult.
Synonyms and how they differ
- though
- More informal and can also come at the end of a sentence, which 'although' cannot.
- even though
- Stronger and more emphatic than 'although', often used for surprising facts.
- while
- Can mean 'although' but also means 'at the same time as'; 'although' is only for contrast.
Commonly confused: although or though?
although vs though
Learners often use 'though' at the end of a sentence, but 'although' cannot be used that way. Say 'It was nice, though' but not 'It was nice, although'.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
Option 0 correctly uses 'although' to introduce a contrasting clause at the beginning. Option 1 is wrong because 'although' cannot join two independent clauses with a comma like that; you would need 'but' or 'however'. Option 2 is awkward because the contrast is not clear. Option 3 incorrectly adds 'though' at the end.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “although”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.