Job Discussion Forums

Redsparrow · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Guangzhou

A student emailed me this question today. In a multiple choice he was given the following two sentences and asked to select the correct version:

Despite jobless rates inching up last month, the lowest unemployment
figures in forty years were recorded this year.

Even though jobless rates inching up last month, the lowest unemployment figures in forty years were recorded this year.

Now, it is obvious to me that the first answer is the correct one but I'm not sure how to explain why. Any erudite descriptions would be much appreciated.

Rabid · Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 199

Think about it this way. Even though jobless rates inchED up...

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

The words "despite" and "even though" will influence which one you use.

The sentences could have read: "Despite the fact that jobless rates inched up . . . " or "Even though jobless rates were inching up last month . . . ". But, since they don't read that way, the first one must be inching and the second one inched.

But, geez, how to explain that better to a student? Hmmm, not sure. Any other experts out there? There may be a rule laying about, but sometimes it's all about the way a sentence reads and sounds. As a native speaker, #2 obviously doesn't read right.

profile · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 776

It's just usage. Despite is followed by verb + ing or noun or noun phrase.

Yes, terrible to try to explain this as students want a reason. The reasons are historical. It's just the way we have agreed to do it. You can only show similar patterns with other words.

And then they'll find structures like "Even though it was raining .." to add to the confusion.

tw · Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 3898

My lazy solution: tell the student because it deals with English grammar, a Chinese teacher would be the most suitable person to explain it (in Chinese). Laughing

profile · Joined: 03 Jun 2005 Posts: 776

OK, I looked it up. See here :

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv41.shtml

Tell your student to bookmark that website.

Redsparrow · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 9 Location: Guangzhou

So above and beyond the call of duty... thanks so much to everyone for their help! Sometimes these sort of questions seem nigh on impossible to explain to students.