Is it a good explanation for 'even though'?

Hi teachers,
They live happily together even though Arthur is fifty-five years old.
Could, 'without being affected by the fact that' be a good explanation to 'even though'?

Thanks in advance.

'Despite the fact that...' is closer to the original. We don't neccessarily know that they were unaffected.

5jj said:

'Despite the fact that...' is closer to the original. We don't neccessarily know that they were unaffected.

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Hi,
Thank you for your reply. But this one is really difficult to be explained to students. I'm just trying to find a way that makes sense in English and at the same time it is understandable.
This one doesn't sound too good, 'apart from the reality that', does it?

L.

No

learning54 said:

Hi,
Thank you for your reply. But this one is really difficult to be explained to students. I'm just trying to find a way that makes sense in English and at the same time it is understandable.
This one doesn't sound too good, 'apart from the reality that', does it?

L.

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No. What did you not like about "Despite the fact that ..."?

emsr2d2 said:

No. What did you not like about "Despite the fact that ..."

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Hi,
I didn't say I didn't like it. I know it is the best one. I just want to find one phrase that can be easily understood to my students. Look for a phrase that 'even though' it is English, can fit and sound good.
But it is really hard to find one for this sentence connector. Though I can also add that it shows a surprising contrast between the two clauses

L.

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Learning:

1. I was wondering whether this "trick" might work.

2. I think that I read somewhere that if the words "although" and "even though" did not exist, we would have to

express the idea in other ways. For example: Yes, but.

a. Yes, Arthur is fifty-five years old, but they live happily together.

b. Yes, the Parser is stupid, but his wife still loves him. (His wife loves him even though the Parser is stupid.)

c. Yes, smoking is bad for one's health, but many people continue to do so. (Many people continue to smoke even though it is bad for one's health.)

Hi TheParser,
Thank you for you reply. Where did you take that information from? :shock: I really like it.;-)

L.

learning54 said:

Where did you take that information from?

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Thank you for your kind note.

I do not remember where I read that. But I never forgot that advice.

HAVE A NICE DAY!

learning54 said:

They live happily together even though Arthur is fifty-five years old.

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Without more context that explains why his age might be a problem, this doesn't strike me as a very good example.

Tdol said:

Without more context that explains why his age might be a problem, this doesn't strike me as a very good example.

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I agree. I can't imagine what potential problems would come as standard simply as a result of living with a 55-year-old man called Arthur!

Tdol said:

Without more context that explains why his age might be a problem, this doesn't strike me as a very good example.

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Here is the context:
Deborah, Arthur’s wife, plays the piano and sings very well. She is also very good at cooking and swimming. She speaks French fluently too. She is very young, but she didn’t marry Arthur because of his money. She married him because of his talent and kindness. They live happily together even though Arthur is fifty-five years old.

Are you specifically trying to find a way to explain this to them in English, as opposed to saying "It's the same as "a pesar de que" in Spanish"?

emsr2d2 said:

Are you specifically trying to find a way to explain this to them in English, as opposed to saying "It's the same as "a pesar de que" in Spanish"?

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Hi,
Thank you for your reply. Yes I am.
As I've said in one of my earlier post, it is really hard to find one explanation for this sentence connector. Though I can also add that it shows a surprising contrast between the two clauses.

L.

Then how about providing some background for the students? Something like "Deborah is 35 (random figure) years old. Arthur, her husband, is 55. However/Even so/But that doesn't really matters/Nevertheless/However big the age gap is, they live happily together."

Greetings,

charliedeut

learning54 said:

Where did you take that information from?

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NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Learning:

It is I again.

I found something in Mr. Raymond Murphy's very popular series of grammars called Grammar in Use.


"Although it rained a lot, they enjoyed themselves."

a) It rained a lot, but they enjoyed themselves.
b) In spite of/ despite the rain, they enjoyed themselves.

*****

Thus, maybe: "They live together happily even though Walter is fifty-five years old."

a) Walter is fifty-five years old, but they live together happily.

b) In spite of/despite Walter's being fifty-five years old, they live together happily.

*****

Maybe also: Walter is fifty-five years old; nevertheless, they live together happily.

TheParser said:

NOT A TEACHER


Hello, Learning:

It is I again.

Maybe also: Walter is fifty-five years old; nevertheless, they live together happily.

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NOT A TEACHER

Hi TheParser,

I wonder if it is correct to say, 'It is me again'?

Thanks.

I found something in Mr. Raymond Murphy's very popular series of grammars called Grammar in Use.

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Hi TheParser,
Thank you again for you information.

L.

Winwin2011 said:

I wonder if it is correct to say, 'It is me again'?

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NOT A TEACHER

Hello, Winwin:

It certainly is correct. That is what 99.99% (?) of Americans say and write.

But I prefer to follow the rules. I am too old to change. The rules say:

It is I, she, he, we, and they.

You probably know the grammatical justification: "is" is a linking verb. Therefore, "It" = "I"; "I" = "It." "Me" is used

as an object: She loves me.

By the way, a "humorous" note. Some (many?) Americans are now saying: "Just between you and I" (instead of the

correct "me"). I suspect that way back in their minds, they remember faintly that "It is I" is correct, so they assume

that the elegant "I" must be correct instead of the lowly "me."

"Everyone" nowadays says "It is me," so I guess that if you use "I," some people will think that you are trying to show

everybody that you speak better English than they or that you are speaking "bad" English!

*****

P.S. I noticed that you prefaced your question with "NOT A TEACHER." I think that the rules require us to post this

warning only if we non-teachers are trying to answer someone's question. Then people seeing that warning can decide

whether or not they want to accept the answer. If I post a question for others to answer, it is not necessary (or even

desirable) to post such a warning.


HAVE A NICE DAY!