Grammar
To concede something is to admit its truth, usually after you have originally denied it or refused to admit that it may be true. An adverbial or adverbial clause of concession is one that says in effect, “Yes, even though A was true, B happened.”Adverbial clauses of concessionThere are three main types: Beginning with the conjunctionalthough:
| Although she always | the theater has claimed |
| wanted to be a writer, | a lot of her energy. |
| subordinate clause | main clause |
The writer finds the information contained in the main clause (that she has worked a lot in the theater) surprising in the light of the subordinate clause (that she wanted to be a writer). In another type of concession clause, the information contained in the subordinate clause may well be true, but it doesn't affect the truth of the information in the main clause:
| Even if she took it into her | she wouldn't be back till half past |
| head to come back early, | four at the earliest. |
| subordinate clause | main clause |
In a third type, the main clause contains information that is true,
despite the truth of the information in the subordinate clause:
| Tom supplements their pension by working part-time, | even though he is nearly 70. |
| main clause | subordinate clause |
The main conjunctions used to introduce adverbial clauses of concession are:
| although | despite | even if | even though | except that |
| not that | though | whereas | while | whilst |
It is also possible to have nonfinite clauses of concession. For example:
In spite of being so fair, his skin had taken on quite a deep tan in the few days they had been there. There are also verbless clauses of concession:
Although a competent fighter, Stretch was not considered to be one of the game’s bigger punchers. Adverbials of concessionSentences may also contain phrases that express similar ideas to clauses of concession.
It had been a happy marriage, in spite of the difference in their ages. This works even with the quickest and most agile spiders. Even after her wedding, the Princess of Wales continued to shop at Laura Ashley, albeit with a bodyguard, and whatever items she bought received wide coverage. 