Welcome to today’s English grammar lesson! We’re going to explore two words that often confuse English learners: although and however. Both words are used to show contrast or opposite ideas, but they are used in slightly different ways. Don’t worry, we’ll make it easy to understand! This lesson is perfect for A2 level learners who want to improve their spoken English and understand these words better.

What are ‘Although’ and ‘However’?

Let’s start with the basics. Both ‘although’ and ‘however’ are used to connect two ideas that are opposite or unexpected in some way. Think of them as saying “but” or “even though” in a slightly more formal way.

Although

Although is a conjunction. This means it joins two parts of a sentence together. Specifically, ‘although’ introduces a subordinate clause, which is a clause that depends on the main part of the sentence to make complete sense. It tells us that something is true despite another thing.

Imagine you want to say: “It was raining, but I went for a walk.” Using ‘although’, we can say:

• Although it was raining, I went for a walk.

Here, “Although it was raining” is the subordinate clause, and “I went for a walk” is the main clause. ‘Although’ shows us that going for a walk is surprising or unexpected because it was raining.

However

However is an adverb or a conjunctive adverb. This means it connects two sentences or two independent clauses. ‘However’ usually starts a new sentence or clause and is used to contrast with the previous sentence or clause. It shows a change in direction or an opposite point.

Let’s take the same idea: “It was raining, but I went for a walk.” Using ‘however’, we can say:

• It was raining. However, I went for a walk.

Here, we have two separate sentences. The second sentence, starting with ‘However’, contrasts with the first sentence. ‘However’ tells us that despite the rain, the action of going for a walk still happened.

How to Use ‘Although’

Let’s look at how to use ‘although’ in more detail to improve your English grammar.

Placement of ‘Although’

‘Although’ usually comes at the beginning of a sentence, before the clause it introduces. But you can also put it in the middle of the sentence.

• Beginning: Although she was tired, she finished her homework.
• Middle: She finished her homework although she was tired.

Notice the comma! When ‘although’ is at the beginning of the sentence, we usually use a comma to separate the two clauses. When ‘although’ is in the middle, we usually don’t need a comma.

Examples of ‘Although’ in Sentences

Here are more examples to help you understand how to use ‘although’:

• Although the movie was long, it was very interesting.
• Although he doesn’t have much money, he is very happy.
• Although it was late, they decided to go out for dinner.
• She passed the exam although she didn’t study much.
• They enjoyed the trip although the weather wasn’t perfect.

In each example, ‘although’ shows a contrast. For spoken English practice, try reading these sentences aloud. Pay attention to the intonation and how you pause slightly after the ‘although’ clause when it’s at the beginning.

How to Use ‘However’

Now, let’s learn more about using ‘however’ correctly to enhance your English speaking and writing skills.

Placement of ‘However’

‘However’ is more flexible in its placement than ‘although’. It can come at the beginning of a sentence, in the middle, or even at the end, although beginning is most common.

• Beginning: It was expensive. However, I bought it.
• Middle: It was expensive; however, I bought it. (Note the semicolon before ‘however’ – this is also correct and a bit more formal)
• Middle with commas: It was expensive, however, I bought it. (This is also common, especially in less formal writing)
• End: It was expensive. I bought it, however. (Less common, but possible, often in spoken English for emphasis)

When ‘however’ starts a sentence, it’s often followed by a comma. When it’s in the middle, it’s usually preceded by a semicolon or a comma and followed by a comma.

Examples of ‘However’ in Sentences

Let’s see more examples using ‘however’:

• The traffic was terrible. However, we arrived on time.
• She is very shy; however, she is a great singer.
• I didn’t like the food, however, the service was excellent.
• He studied hard. However, he failed the test. (This shows an unexpected result)
• They wanted to go to the beach. It rained, however. (Here, ‘however’ at the end emphasizes the contrast)

Practice speaking these sentences too! Notice how ‘however’ often creates a slight pause before the contrasting idea.

Key Differences Between Although and However

Let’s quickly summarize the main differences between ‘although’ and ‘however’ to make it even clearer:

Feature	Although	However
Part of Speech	Conjunction	Adverb/Conjunctive Adverb
Sentence Structure	Connects clauses within one sentence	Connects sentences or independent clauses
Placement	Beginning or middle of a sentence	Beginning, middle, or end of a sentence (beginning most common)
Punctuation	Comma usually after ‘although’ clause at the beginning	Comma after ‘however’ at the beginning; often commas or semicolon when in the middle

Understanding these differences will significantly improve your English grammar and make your speaking and writing more accurate.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Here are a couple of common mistakes English learners make with ‘although’ and ‘however’, so you can avoid them!

Using ‘However’ like ‘Although’ (and vice versa)

The biggest mistake is using them interchangeably. Remember:

• Incorrect: However it was raining, I went for a walk. (Wrong – ‘However’ doesn’t start a subordinate clause like this.)
• Correct: Although it was raining, I went for a walk.
• Incorrect: I went for a walk although, it was raining. (Wrong comma placement with ‘although’ in the middle)
• Correct: I went for a walk although it was raining.

Incorrect Punctuation with ‘However’

Pay attention to punctuation with ‘however’, especially when it’s in the middle of a sentence. Don’t forget the comma after ‘however’ when it starts a sentence.

• Incorrect: It was expensive however I bought it. (Missing comma after ‘however’ when starting a new sentence)
• Correct: It was expensive. However, I bought it.

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to practice! Fill in the blanks with either although or however.

1. _______ it was cold, she wasn’t wearing a coat.
2. He is very intelligent. _______, he sometimes makes silly mistakes.
3. _______ I had a map, I got lost.
4. The car was old. _______, it still ran very well.
5. _______ she studied hard, she didn’t pass the exam.

Rewrite the following sentences using ‘however’ instead of ‘although’, making any necessary changes.

6. Although he was tired, he finished the race.
7. Although the food was delicious, the service was slow.

Answers to Practice

Check your answers below!

1. Although it was cold, she wasn’t wearing a coat.
2. He is very intelligent. However, he sometimes makes silly mistakes.
3. Although I had a map, I got lost.
4. The car was old. However, it still ran very well.
5. Although she studied hard, she didn’t pass the exam.

Rewritten sentences with ‘however’:

6. He was tired. However, he finished the race.
7. The food was delicious. However, the service was slow.

How did you do? Practice makes perfect! The more you use ‘although’ and ‘however’, the more natural they will become in your English.

Speak English Confidently with Lingofrnd

Want to practice using ‘although’ and ‘however’ in real conversations? Lingofrnd is your AI spoken English teacher! It’s a fantastic way to improve your spoken English and practice grammar points like ‘although’ and ‘however’ in a natural and engaging way. You can get instant feedback and build your confidence in speaking English.

Visit our website to learn more: Lingofrnd.com

Ready to start practicing right now? Download App and begin your journey to fluent English today!