Key Difference

Both “in spite of” and “despite” mean “without being affected by” or “regardless of.” They are used to show contrast, highlighting something that happened even though there was an obstacle. However, “in spite of” is a phrase with multiple words, while “despite” is a single word, and their usage can sometimes be slightly different.

Let’s break it down:

1. Using “In Spite of”

• Structure: In spite of is generally followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund (verb + -ing).
• Example Sentences:
  • “She went for a run in spite of the rain.” 🌧️ (Even though it was raining, she went for a run.)
  • “They succeeded in spite of the challenges.” 💪 (They succeeded, although there were challenges.)
• Usage Tip: In spite of is often slightly more formal than despite and is also a little longer, so people sometimes prefer to use despite for brevity.

2. Using “Despite”

• Structure: Like in spite of, despite is also followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund. However, despite is one word and doesn’t require of after it.
• Example Sentences:
  • “She went for a run despite the rain.” 🌧️ (Even though it was raining, she went for a run.)
  • “They succeeded despite the challenges.” 💪 (They succeeded, although there were challenges.)
• Usage Tip: Because despite is shorter, it tends to be used more frequently in modern spoken and written English.

Comparison Chart

Common Mistakes

• Incorrect: “In spite despite the rain, they played the game.”
  • This is incorrect because we only need to use in spite of or despite, not both.
• Incorrect: “In spite of of the rain, they played the game.”
  • This error happens when people add an extra of after despite or in spite of. Remember, despite does not need of after it.

Practice Time!

Choose the correct word or phrase (in spite of/despite):

1. __________ the noise, he managed to fall asleep.
2. We went to the beach __________ the cold weather.
3. She finished the race __________ her injured leg.
4. They remained calm __________ the bad news.

Answers:

1. Despite the noise, he managed to fall asleep.
2. We went to the beach in spite of the cold weather.
3. She finished the race despite her injured leg.
4. They remained calm in spite of the bad news.