Despite vs In Spite Of: Difference, Examples & Use

🤔 When to Use Despite and In Spite Of?

In English, when we need to express contrast or show that something happens contrary to circumstances, we use the constructions despite and in spite of. While both expressions have the same meaning, they have specific usage features that are important to understand.

🎯 Definition and Grammatical Role

Despite and in spite of are prepositional expressions that:

• Express contrast
• Describe situations that happen contrary to circumstances
• Have meaning similar to conjunctions although and even though

📚 Detailed Overview of Constructions

Despite: Basic Rules

Despite is used with three types of words:

• Nouns
• Pronouns
• Gerund (-ing form)

✅ Formula:

Despite + noun/pronoun/gerund (-ing form)

Usage Examples:

1. Despite + noun:
   • Despite the weather, the festival was amazing
   • Despite his age, he runs marathons
2. Despite + pronoun:
   • Despite this, we continued our journey
   • Despite everything, she remained optimistic
3. Despite + gerund:
   • Despite studying hard, he failed the exam
   • Despite working overtime, she didn’t get promoted

In Spite Of: Usage Rules

In spite of has identical meaning to despite and follows the same rules.

✅ Formula:

In spite of + noun/pronoun/gerund (-ing form)

Usage Examples:

1. In spite of + noun:
   • In spite of the difficulties, they succeeded
   • In spite of the rain, the match continued
2. In spite of + pronoun:
   • In spite of that, we achieved our goal
   • In spite of all, they remained friends
3. In spite of + gerund:
   • In spite of being inexperienced, he got the job
   • In spite of losing the first game, they won the tournament

📊 Comparative Table of Despite and In Spite Of

Parameter	Despite	In Spite Of
Grammatical Role	Preposition	Compound preposition
Structure	Single word	Three separate words
Usage	Before nouns, pronouns, and gerunds	Before nouns, pronouns, and gerunds
Style	Formal (academic, business)	Less formal (conversational)
Frequency of Use	More common in written language	More common in spoken language
Construction Length	Shorter form	Longer form
Text Usage	Official documents, academic papers, business correspondence	Daily communication, informal correspondence
Example with noun	Despite the rain	In spite of the rain
Example with gerund	Despite being late	In spite of being late

⚠️ Critical Mistakes and Important Rules

1. Correct Writing and Structure

“In spite of” writing:

• Must be written as three separate words
  • ❌ Incorrect: inspite of
  • ✅ Correct: in spite of

No “of” after despite:

• ❌ Incorrect: Despite of the rain, we went for a walk
• ✅ Correct: Despite the rain, we went for a walk
• ✅ Correct: In spite of the rain, we went for a walk

2. Rules for Using with Sentences

Simple sentences:

• Cannot use a simple sentence directly after despite/in spite of
  • ❌ Incorrect: Despite he was tired, he continued working
  • ❌ Incorrect: In spite of she was sick, she went to work

Correct options:

1. Using gerund:
   • ✅ Despite being tired, he continued working
   • ✅ In spite of being sick, she went to work
2. Using “the fact that”:
   • ✅ Despite the fact that he was tired, he continued working
   • ✅ In spite of the fact that she was sick, she went to work

3. Construction with “the fact that”

• When you need to use a subordinate clause, always add “the fact that”
• Examples:
  • Despite the fact that she was ill, she attended the meeting
  • In spite of the fact that it was expensive, they bought the house

4. Difference from “although”

• Although is used before complete sentences
• Despite/in spite of are used before nouns, pronouns, or gerunds
• ❌ Incorrect: Despite he was tired
• ✅ Correct: Although he was tired
• ✅ Correct: Despite being tired
• ✅ Correct: Despite the fact that he was tired

💡 Practical Usage Tips

Context-Based Choice

1. For formal communication (despite):
   • Academic papers
   • Business correspondence
   • Official documents
2. For informal communication (in spite of):
   • Daily conversations
   • Informal messages
   • Personal correspondence

Simplifying Complex Constructions

• Instead of despite the fact that he was late → despite being late
• Instead of in spite of the fact that she studied → in spite of studying

These rules and precautions are crucial for the correct use of despite and in spite of. Regular practice considering these nuances will help avoid typical mistakes and improve English language proficiency.

This article is part of a series on English grammar. For better retention, we recommend practicing these constructions in real communication and writing.