Concession: however, even though

🔊 The teacher reads for you

« Its diameter is 109 times that of the Earth; even though it is gaseous, it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. » A ball of gas heavier than a whole planet: the surprise is carried by two little words. You already know how to make a concession; this lesson makes sure you can use however and even though — the first between two sentences, the second inside one. How do you admit a fact and still say something unexpected about it?

🎓في نهاية هذا الدرس ستكون قادرا على:

التعبير عن التسليم داخل الجملة بـ ⁦even though · though · although⁩ متبوعة بجملة
الربط بين جملتين متعارضتين بـ ⁦however⁩ بعد نقطة أو فاصلة منقوطة، تتبعها فاصلة
تحويل الجملة من ⁦even though⁩ إلى ⁦however⁩ والعكس دون تغيير المعنى
استعمال التسليم في فقرة علميّة حجاجيّة قصيرة ⁦(concessive reasoning)⁩

🔑يفترض هذا الدرس أنّك تتقن:

أدوات التسليم ⁦though · although · in spite of · despite⁩
أداة الاستدراك ⁦but⁩
علامات الوقف: النقطة والفاصلة والفاصلة المنقوطة

1. Even though — concession inside the sentence

⁦even though⁩ مثل ⁦though⁩ و ⁦although⁩ : تتبعها جملة تعترف بأمر، والجملة الرئيسيّة تقول ما يبقى صحيحا رغم ذلك.

Though, although and even though introduce a clause that admits a fact; the main clause says what remains true in spite of it. The concession can come first — followed by a comma — or second. « Even though it is gaseous, the Sun weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. » One would expect a ball of gas to be light: even underlines the surprise. In a scientific text, the concession often admits what we would expect, and the main clause states the fact that contradicts it.

The Sun — the heart of our solar system

The Sun is the very heart of our solar system. It is a typical star — one of the […] stars in our galaxy; like the rest, it is an incandescent body made up of highly compressed gases. Compared with the other stars, the Sun is of average size, but it is a giant in comparison with even the largest planets. Its diameter of 865,600 miles is 109 times that of the Earth; even though it is gaseous, it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. Its surface temperature is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit; at its centre the temperature may be as high as 27,000,000 degrees Fahrenheit. From the Book of Popular Science and Alan E. Nourse, The Giant Planets

Task 1 — In this paragraph, what does the writer admit with even though, and what does he state in spite of it? Which other word expresses a contrast?

ماذا يسلّم الكاتب بـ ⁦even though⁩؟ وماذا يقرّر رغم ذلك؟ وما الكلمة الأخرى التي تعبّر عن التعارض؟

He admits: « it is gaseous » — the Sun is made of gas.
He states in spite of it: « it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth ».
The other contrast: « the Sun is of average size, but it is a giant in comparison with even the largest planets » — average among the stars, a giant among the planets.

2. However — concession between two sentences

⁦however⁩ تربط بين جملتين : تأتي في أوّل الجملة الثانية بعد نقطة أو فاصلة منقوطة، وتتبعها فاصلة.

However does not work inside one sentence: it links two. The first sentence states a fact or a point of view; the second begins with however, after a full stop or a semicolon, and a comma follows it. « Critics say that a social audit may just be a public relations exercise, with no real benefits. However, in spite of this criticism, many companies now are designating executives to oversee the whole area of corporate social responsibility. »

Concession words — where they go

Word	Its place	Example
even though · though · although	inside the sentence, before a clause	Even though it is gaseous, the Sun weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth.
however	at the start of the second sentence, followed by a comma	Critics say a social audit may be a public relations exercise. However, many companies …
despite · in spite of	before a noun phrase	… in spite of this criticism …
admittedly · certainly · it is true that … but	admit first, then come back	It is true that space exploration is expensive, but it helps us predict earthquakes.

However links two sentences; even though works inside one.

Task 2 — Rewrite each pair as one sentence with even though, then as two sentences with however. A. The Sun is a gas. It weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. · B. Critics say that a social audit may just be a public relations exercise. Many companies now designate executives to oversee corporate social responsibility. · C. Space exploration costs huge amounts of money. It helps us predict earthquakes.

أعد كتابة كلّ زوج بـ ⁦even though⁩ في جملة واحدة، ثمّ بـ ⁦however⁩ في جملتين.

A. Even though the Sun is a gas, it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. — The Sun is a gas. However, it weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth.
B. Even though critics say that a social audit may just be a public relations exercise, many companies now designate executives to oversee corporate social responsibility. — Critics say that a social audit may just be a public relations exercise. However, many companies now designate executives …
C. Even though space exploration costs huge amounts of money, it helps us predict earthquakes. — Space exploration costs huge amounts of money. However, it helps us predict earthquakes.

Same meaning, two grammars: even though needs one sentence and a clause; however needs two sentences, a full stop or a semicolon before it, and a comma after it.

3. Concessive reasoning in a short paragraph

الاستدلال بالتسليم : تعترف بحجّة المخالف لتنتقدها على نحو أفضل.

Argumentative texts often use concessive reasoning: making concessions to other people's arguments, the better to criticize them. The useful language: admittedly, certainly, though, although, in spite of the fact that, despite the fact that, it is true that …, but … — and however, to come back to your own argument.

Do this alone, in writing. « Some people think that the budget devoted to space exploration is wasted money. » Write a paragraph of five or six sentences that refutes this statement. Concede one argument of the other side — space exploration costs huge amounts of money; this money is needed to relieve poverty — then answer it with arguments in favour: predicting earthquakes, satellite communication, weather forecasting. Use however once and even though once.

اكتب وحدك فقرة من خمس جمل أو ستّ تردّ فيها على من يرى أنّ ميزانيّة استكشاف الفضاء مال ضائع، مع تسليم واحد على الأقلّ.

A model paragraph

فقرة نموذجيّة : عبارات التسليم بالخطّ الغليظ.

Some people think that the budget devoted to space exploration is wasted money. It is true that huge amounts of money go up in smoke every time a rocket is launched. However, satellites help us predict earthquakes, forecast the weather and communicate across the whole world. Even though this money could relieve poverty today, the knowledge it buys protects millions of people. Space exploration is not a wild dream: it is an investment in our future.

Check the model: the opposite view first; a concession (it is true that …); the answer with however; a second concession inside a sentence with even though; a conclusion that keeps the writer's position.

In the exam, concession is tested in the text exploration: you join two sentences with the link word given — however or even though — or you rewrite one form into the other. Have three things ready: ① even though, though, although + a clause, inside the sentence; ② however at the start of the second sentence, after a full stop or a semicolon, followed by a comma; ③ despite, in spite of + a noun phrase. The frequent mistake: using however like even though — ✗ « However the Sun is a gas, it is very heavy » → ✓ « Even though the Sun is a gas, it is very heavy ».

What I keep — Even though, though and although admit a fact inside the sentence, before a clause: « Even though it is gaseous, the Sun weighs more than 300,000 times as much as the Earth. » However links two sentences: it opens the second one, after a full stop or a semicolon, and a comma follows it. In an argument, I concede the other side's point — then however brings back my own.

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