Contrasting: whereas, while, although, even though, but, yet

hi welcome to right to top I'm Adam in today's video I'm going to go over a few ways to show contrast in your writing and we're going to discuss what is it what does it mean to contrast and what does it mean to compare and there are many words we can use to do this but because there are so many I decided to split it into two videos and today in part one we're going to look only at the conjunctions that we can use to show contrast the phrases that and prepositions we're going to look in part two but I'll give you a list at the end of this video of what phrases and terms we're going to look at in the next video so let's start with part 1 conjunctions so we're going to look at whereas while although even though but and yet these are the conjunctions that we're going to use to show a contrast now before we get into how these work and how to use them let's look at we have to be very clear to make sure we understand what it is to contrast and what it is to compare because you can do both or you can do one or the other okay a comparison now a lot of people think that when you're asked to compare things you're asked to look for the similarities but a comparison asks you to look for similarities and differences now for those of you who are going to be taking the IELTS or TOEFL some questions are going to say compare the advantages of something someone's going to say compare the advantage or compare and contrast these two views okay if they only ask you to compare and that's all they say then yeah just look at the similarities look at how to things are similar but if they ask you to compare and then say which you think is better then automatically necessarily you must also show the differences between these two things and that's where you're going to use these contrasting words and expressions okay on the other hand to contrast just means to show the actual opposition or differences so comparison is showing the differences and similarities between two things contrasting implies a change something changed or something is different or something is other than this thing now keep in mind you can contrast two separate things show the differences show how they work in opposition or you can contrast different aspects of one thing okay so one thing it has good things and bad things to it so you can do both now when I talk about changes differences etc you can talk about negation something is but something isn't okay it is this but it isn't that you can talk about direction sales went up but revenues went down degree it was very hot but not too hot okay so you can talk about all these different things and result view condition and status the reason I underlined expectation when you're talking the contrasting expectations generally this is what is expected to happen and versus what actually happened now expectations are the most subtle I guess you could say look the hardest ones to realize there's a contrast there between expectation and actuality so you have to be very careful with that one and it also makes a difference in which term or which conjunction you're going to use now I noticed noted here in the bottom a contrast is not necessarily a contradiction sometimes a contrast is just a difference it doesn't have to oppose like you don't have to oppose the two things or the two sides of one thing sometimes they could just be two different things and they don't work well together or just different okay so let's get into the use of the conjunctions okay we're going to start with where as and while and I know people have a hard time with this word whereas you shouldn't really once you understand when to use it it's actually quite easy to use okay whereas in while are both adverb clause conjunctions meaning you have to have a full clause with these words sometimes you can use a participle I'll show you with while you can do that that's one of the differences but generally when you're using whereas or a while to compare two separate things okay to show the diff between two things they are interchangeable you can use whereas or while in the same way so comparing two things ideas actions facts etc in terms of differences so let's look at an example we're going to compare economic theories so the general discussion of your essay is economic theories or economic policies approaches etc and you're going to look at two different theories of economics okay capitalism socialism whereas capitalism favors a free market socialism advocates more government intervention so these things are not fighting each other they're just different one goes this way one goes that way okay capitalism one socialism - under the umbrella of economic theories also notice I can use where as or a while when I'm comparing two different things and just showing the differences also notice capitalism favours a free market while socialism advocates more government intervention I can put these conjunctions with either clause because the two clauses themselves are pretty much equal both are giving straightforward information or fact so the conjunction can go with either one it doesn't make any difference you want to put it in the beginning of the sentence you want to put it in the middle of the sentence fine you want to put it with the first clause you want to put it with the second clause also fine doesn't change the meaning doesn't change the emphasis you're not actually emphasizing anything with these two conjunctions okay let's move on look at how they are actually different from each other so one of the main differences with we're ads and while capitalism favors a free market while making allowances for limited assistance to those unable to compete so where as can only be used when you're comparing two different things capitalism socialism while can be used to show a contrast between two aspects of one thing so it's very similar to though or although in this case although and though as we'll see in a moment you're only looking at contrasting elements of one thing whereas two separate things while could be used for two separate things or two specs of one thing another difference notice that after while I'm using making I'm using a participle capitalism favors a free market while it makes allowances for limited assistance to those unable to compete so we're talking about capitalism in both clauses the subject of the second one is it which is capitalism and I'm using a participle I can't use a participle with whereas after whereas you must have a full clause with subject and verb okay and I can with while I can also put it at the beginning while making allowances for limited assistance to those unable to compete capitalism favors a free market I can change the order around wild capitalism favors a free market it makes allowances for and then I can't use the participle because I it's not with the conjunction okay so that's the main difference between while and whereas but there's one other thing I want you to always keep in mind the students understood the professor clearly while he was demonstrating the process but in the lab they all seemed confused so notice here I have while--and but am i using two contrasting conjunctions no I'm not while is also a time conjunction so don't get confused between the contrast function and the time function although even though when I'm using it as a contrast function it still has the element of time in it like just like yet does which we're going to look at after but it's still when I'm using it as a time conjunction it's a time conjunction when I'm using it as a contrast conjunction it's a contrast conjunction adverb conjunction okay so that's whereas in awhile let's move on to although and even though okay although and even though people very often mix these up in some cases you can they're interchangeable but in most cases you cannot use one or the other and the other you have to use one or the other excuse me so although even though what are we showing first of all these are both contrast tools directly contrasting two different elements of a thing little thing or situation or action etc so you have one thing so for example sales went up although revenues went down so talking about sales and two different aspects of sales okay one thing being compared two aspects not two different things so although let's go back to the original example I used before although capitalism favors a free market socialism advocates more government intervention is this a good sentence no why because capitalism is socialism are two different things there are two separate economic theories so here I can't use although here I would have to use whereas or while although one thing whereas while two things will strike this sentence out so capitalism favors a free market although it does recognize that some members of society might be disadvantaged in a competitive environment and may need some assistance so what is contrast what is the actual contractor capitalism favours a free market means that government shouldn't really have any involvement in how the market works although so here I'm showing the contrast the opposite view giving some or people that disadvantaged people some assistance so this goes against the idea of a free market so I'm showing the contrast and I'm showing saying it capitalism same thing does recognize I'm emphasizing that does to show that this is the thing this is the contrast and I'm emphasizing does recognize to show that it is a contrast and that there is a little bit of leeway with capitalism I could say although it recognizes that I just want to emphasize that recognition with does recognize okay so there's a contrast and again with although and you have a contrast I can put it with either clause I can put at the beginning I could put it in the middle although calculate capitalism favors of free market it does recognize so when the two clauses are equally saying something the although can go with either clause and the meaning doesn't change the emphasis doesn't necessarily change but even though now even though can times just be a very strong emphasized contrast or it could be a concession it can concede that something else is understood and accepted but and the next point now with even though you can't change the location you can't change which clause it goes with without changing the meaning of the sentence okay so it must go with the point of contrast the point that you want to emphasize okay even stresses of the clause that sets up and stresses the expectation let's look at examples to understand even though the mayor lied to his constituents constituents the people living in the town who vote for the mayor they reelected him for another term now I could say although the mayor lied to his constituents they reelected him for another term even though is just a very stronger although but if I say the mayor lied to his constituents even though they reelected him for another term this is a different meaning of a sentence so let's look at the first one even though they do he lie to them they know he lied they understand that he did lie to them they voted for him anyway so they're that idea of anyway so you think the expectation is he lied to them they won't vote for him no they did vote for him and that's why you're emphasizing the first Clause that he lied to them so you're setting up that expectation you're stressing this is the expectation that they won't vote but they did okay now if I say the mayor lied to his constituents of even though they reelected him means first they reelected him so the expectation is he should be nice to them but no he lied to them anyway so they still the idea of anyway but I'm focusing on the second part there's a bit of a sense of chronology which action happened first so if I put even though with lied he lied first they reelected second if I say even though with re-elected they reelected first he lied second so there's also an idea of chronology of time order now let's look at a couple more examples even though the test results proved negative the doctors prescribed an intensive diet regimen for gym so he took a test for cholesterol let's say and the tests proved negative means no problem with his cholesterol they gave him a diet anyway so you think even though the expectation is that they understand he has no problem they gave him the diet anyway the test results proved negative even though the doctors prescribed him to die so they made him go on a diet for to whatever situation he had to lose weight or obesity whatever then he took the test and proved negative means he didn't improve so again the order where you put the even though changes the actual meaning and it also changes the which part you actually want to stress which is the expectation which is the result I hope that's a little bit clear there okay let's look at but and yet so these are coordinating conjunctions so these are different these are not adverb clause conjunctions so whereas while although even though are all part of an adverb clause adverb clause of dependent clause okay they show contrast but em yet must have two independent clauses that they're joining together so the two independent clauses are equal there isn't one subordinate to the other they're both equal both can be sentences on their own however there are situations where you can use but or although and I'll show you those in a minute so two independent clauses and again you're showing the different aspects of one thing okay you can show the differences now keep in mind if I say bill likes pizza but Kelly likes hamburgers you're not comparing Kelly and you're not comparing necessarily Kelly and the other guy you're comparing the two things they like their likes so it's still one thing different aspects of those things you can also say one likes pizza whereas the other likes hamburgers then you're doing a comparison if you're talking about going to eat one like this one like that the likes are different there's a problem where to eat yet has the idea of time in it but at the same time so similar to while while also has the idea time in it but is this a straightforward contrast things that are working against each other or just very differently like although so I'm sticking to the same examples capitalism favors a free market yet means at the same time but at the same time it recognizes the fact that some members of society need help ok so it understand this is the way capitalism works at the same time it does show something that's a little bit in contrast in terms of assistance capitalism favors a free market but it also recognizes now why did I add also with yet I didn't need me also because the also is kind of part of the yet at the same time means also but here I put but it also why because I'm adding actually two points I'm giving you two aspects of capitalism one plus two but two is in contrast to one so I want to add the also on the other hand capitalism favors a free market but it doesn't want to do other things for whatever the other thing is here I have a direct favors positive verb it doesn't whatever negative verb so there's a direct contrast and that's why I don't need the also just to but by itself direct contrast now let's look at a few other examples where you can mix all these things up the mayor has been known to lie to his constituents but they still voted for him for a lack of better alternative yet they still vote what's the difference here first notice after constituents I put a semicolon I can basically split the two ideas I could put a semicolon and then I can use but or yet and then the comma after the but or after the yet not before I could also put a constituents comma but they still voted for him the reason I would split it is because I want to emphasize each point separately so I would sort of like it's almost like two separate sentences but I joined them with a semicolon sorry okay now if you see my semicolon lesson a punctuation lesson if I was using and I wouldn't if I was using semicolon with and I will take out the end with but I need to leave it because a car just needs to stay okay here's a different example scientists are adamant their very strong belief that climate change is a very serious problem yet but although they concede that they do not have viable solutions to tackle it at this time so remember what I said before that although you can put with either clause if that's the case then you can alternate it with but you can put yet but although the only difference is I can put although at the beginning of the sentence I can't put but at the beginning of the sentence when I have two equal independent clauses that's the main difference so sometimes you see two clauses and you one of them becomes dependent with although you could make it both independent with but the meaning doesn't change you can use either one just be careful about positioning okay although scientists concede that they do not have viable solutions to tackle climate change at this time they are adamant that it is a serious problem I can also change the order I can change the order and put but in the middle or I can change the order put although in the middle or the beginning not with but now another thing I want to focus on this elavil versus but so they can be interchanged if both clauses are equal to candidate has a qualification although he lacks interpersonal skills so basically think can I put a period between the two clauses and have two separate sentences the candidate has the qualification he lacks interpersonal skills so I have to equal equal strength or equal value independent clauses I can join them with Aldo or but again although the candidate has the qualifications he lacks interpersonal skills I can put although at the beginning I can't put but at the beginning the candidate lacks interpersonal skills although he does have the qualification I can change the order of the I can change the order of the information and keep the two in the same place because they are equal right and again he does have the qualification I want to emphasize that part although the candidate lacks I could put although at the beginning I can't put but both can be reduced in a parallel structure the candidate has a qualification though not the experience but not the experience but he does not have the experience although he does not have the experience because I have the same subject and verb I can reduce I can take them out with though and but notice I don't use although if I'm going to use a parallel reduction I'm going to use though not although now you may have had a lot of teachers telling you that never begin a sentence with but or and or or like what's a coordinating conjunction it's totally okay grammatically it's fine technically it's fine I do not recommend it for the IELTS or TOEFL or any of these language tests they don't like it the graders don't like it but one hundred percent for sure never begin a paragraph with and or but or or you can begin a sentence but again it has a slightly different slightly different meaning okay so let me give you an example the candidate has the qualifications and we definitely recommend him for the position period but he does lack experience so we suggest teaming him up with a mentor here you notice I'm starting the sentence with but but the whole but is for the whole entire clause here's the next here's the result of this contrast but there's also a pro solution basically a proposition for a solution so we suggest doing something with them so we can do it that way but again if you're not a hundred percent sure just avoid it and stick to the regular conjunctions as well one other thing common errors and I see these on sample essays all the time even though the students worked hard but they failed the test so what's the problem here even though but you have two contrasting conjunctions you can't one only and I see this a lot so it's not like it's or who would make this mistake a lot of people make this mistake make sure you don't do that although the professors and extra time drilling his idea into his students heads with countless exercises to make sure they were prepared what's wrong with this sentence well actually it's not a sentence that's what's wrong this is a sentence fragment you're beginning with an adverb clause conjunction so the whole thing is technically an adverb clause you don't have an independent clause anywhere here so this is called a sentence fragment and you would lose points for that those who do their homework regularly tend to perform better on tests and other evaluations yet this does not guarantee a better fundamental understanding of the core subjects in this case what you should do after evaluations semicolon small y-yet comma this does not guarantee because there's a very direct relationship between the two two ideas you're presenting here so make sure you put a semicolon before yet okay now another last thing I want to mention it's very important that when you're showing a contrast and it is an actual opposite because you can show opposite contradictions make sure that they are logical okay so here's an example I love Jane but I also hate her now in terms of grammar this doesn't make sense but in terms of human beings yeah it makes complete sense you can love and hate somebody so that's okay sales went up but we didn't move any more product than usual well this doesn't actually make sense if you didn't move any more product how did sales go up so there's no logic here the contrast is too obvious something is missing here the sales had to come from somewhere so you have to give more information or take out the butt and try to make sense out of this sentence okay now that's basically it I hope that was all good and clear in part two I will look at phrases like on the other hand in opposition linking terms nevertheless however and prepositions unlike despite etc so come back to watch of that video as well if you have any questions of course asking me here below in YouTube I'll be happy to help you out I hope you like this video I hope it helps you with your writing to show contrast if you like the video please give me a like and you subscribe to my channel if you like it more videos coming about writing grammar test tips all this good stuff for you to improve your chances with the tests so I'll see you again soon bye bye

Channel: Write to Top

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Keywords: ielts, English writing, English, writing, English test, IELTS academic essay, vocabulary, TOEFL independent task, independent essay, how to write, essay writing, usage, skills, pass the IELTS, IELTS high score, TOEFL high score, pass toefl, conjunctions, language skills, cohesion, how to write an essay, better writing, writing skills, how to write in English, IELTS high band, showing contrast, how to show contrast, whereas, although, grammar, ieltshighband, toeflhighscore, ielts9, toefl30

Id: TP3rsx8Nm7g

Length: 24min 40sec (1480 seconds)

Published: Sat Apr 22 2017