蜜芽传媒 World Service | Learning English

A question from Raphael Gorgy:
I have a little question about though. I'm not sure of its many meanings. Sometimes it is in the middle of a sentence and sometimes at the end of a sentence and I get confused.


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George Pickering answers:
Thank you Raphael for your interesting question.

Yes, it's true, you can put though at the beginning, in the middle and at the end of sentences.

We can use though, and although, or even though at the beginning of a subordinate clause to mark a contrast with the idea in the main clause. For example:
'Even though he didn't have much time, he stopped to help the old lady.'

We can change the order of the two clauses and say:
'He stopped to help the old lady, even though he didn't have much time.'

In these examples, though means 'despite the fact that'.

We can also put though at the end of the contrasting clause. For example:
'I still find English hard to understand; I can understand more than last year, though!'

When placed at the end of a sentence like this, though means 'nevertheless' or 'however'.

George Pickering is an educational coach, consultant and trainer. He is an associate tutor at the University of Sheffield, and a British Council inspector of language schools in the UK.

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