Despite V Inspite Of

Understanding Despite and In Spite Of

Despite and In spite of mean “although something happened” or “even though.” They show contrast between two ideas — one fact is surprising because of the other.

Using “Despite”

Despite is followed by a noun, pronoun, or -ing form of a verb. It is never followed by “of.”

Despite the rain, we went for a walk.
She passed the exam despite her illness.
Despite being tired, he finished his homework.

Using “In Spite Of”

In spite of has the same meaning as despite. It’s just a little longer and includes the word “of.” It is also followed by a noun or -ing form.

In spite of the cold weather, they played outside.
He kept smiling in spite of the pain.
In spite of being late, she caught the bus.

Comparison

Form	Example	Meaning
Despite + noun / -ing	Despite the rain, we played.	Even though it rained, we played.
In spite of + noun / -ing	In spite of the rain, we played.	Same meaning as “despite.”

Common Mistake

❌ Despite of the rain, we played. ✅ Despite the rain, we played.
❌ In spite the rain, we played. ✅ In spite of the rain, we played.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form

_______ being sick, he went to work.
Despite being sick, he went to work.
She came to school _______ the heavy rain.
In spite of the heavy rain.
_______ the noise, the baby slept well.
Despite the noise.
He continued working _______ feeling unwell.
In spite of feeling unwell.
_______ the traffic, they arrived on time.
Despite the traffic.

Mini Test

Choose the correct option:

_______ her tiredness, she stayed up late to finish her project.
Despite
He was cheerful _______ his failure.
In spite of
_______ studying hard, she didn’t pass the exam.
Despite
She wore a smile _______ her sadness.
In spite of
_______ being late, he was allowed to join the class.
Despite

Quick Summary Table

Phrase	Followed By	Example
Despite	Noun / -ing form	Despite the cold, we went out.
In spite of	Noun / -ing form	In spite of the cold, we went out.
Despite of	❌ Incorrect	✗ Never use “of” after “despite.”