Sentence Correction

Pls if any1 can explain me the differnce between
1. Regards and Consider : Where to use Regard & Consider.
2. rather & Instead
3. Although and Inspite of


If any1 can explain, i wll be thakful .
GMAT instructors , if you can reply on this as you give gr8 explanations, this can help all of GMAT seekers .....

A good question, instructors pl reply.


Just a guess:

Inspite of hard work, he failed.
Although he worked hard, he failed.

Pls if any1 cab explain..really need it GMAT is 20days away.

Can you paste specific question?

I am always able to find the correct word using meaning of sentence.
Please let me know where you encountered the problem?

Despite is used with a noun and inspit is used with a clause…


1. Although is preferred over despite...

1. Regard is used with as...i.e. regard as..consider is used without as

Hope this helps

1. Rather than vs Instead of
Rather than - shows preference. This expression is generally used in 'parallel' structures. e.g - with two nouns, adjectives, adverbs, infinitives or -ing forms.

e.g

1). We ought to invest in machinery rather than buildings.
2). I prefer starting early rather than leaving things to the last minute.

When the main clause has a to - infinitive, rather than is usually followed by an infinitive without to or -ing form.

e.g - I decided to write rather than phone/phoning.

Instead of - suggests that one person, thing or action replaces another. Instead is not used alone as a preposition; we use the two words instead of.
Instead of is not usually followed by an infinitive.

e.g

1). I'll have tea instead of coffee, please.
2). I stayed in bed all day instead of going to work.
3). Amit was invited to the reception, but he was ill, so Akash went instead of him.

Note - Instead (without of) is an adverb. It begins or ends a clause usually.

e.g - She didn't go to Greece after all. Instead , she went to America.


NOTE :
Usage --- instead of + noun phrase. Instead of is only a preposition and can introduce only a phrase i.e no verb
Usage --- rather than + verb (or) rather than + noun. Further rather than can act as a preposition and can introduce a prepositional phrase or can act as a conjunction and introduce a clause

2. Consider

When the verb consider is used to mean "regard" or "deem", it can be used more economically without any connecting phrase like "to be" or "as being".
Correct:
John was one of the first european writers to consider rural poor legitimate subjects for litrature and protray them with sympathy and respect in her novels.
Wrong:
John was one of the first european writers to consider rural poor as being legitimate subjects
John was one of the first european writers to consider rural poor to be legitimate subjects

3. Although, though, even though
Although vs Though vs Even though
Although - linking word - expresses the idea of contrast.

e.g - Although Amit has a car, he doesn't often drives it.

The clause with although can come at the end.

e.g - Although the cafe was crowded, we found a table. OR We found a table, although the cafe was crowded.

Though - is informal. It means the same as although.

e.g - Though / Although I liked the sweater, I decided not to buy it.

We can use though at the end of a sentence.

e.g - I liked the sweater. I decided not to buy it, though.

Even though - is stronger, more emphatic than although.

e.g -

1). Ram looked quite fresh, even though he'd been playing cricket.

2). Even though you dislike Sanya, you should try to be nice to her.

Note - We can use in spite of the fact (that) in the same way as although.

e.g -

I'm no better, although I've taken the pills.

OR

I'm no better in spite of the fact that I've taken pills.


Quick Tip -- Applicable most of the times but not always ...

Even though -- when the condition given is negative but the outcome/result is positive

eg -- Even though Ram hadn't studied, he passed the exam.

Although -- when the condition given is positive but the outcome/result is negative

eg -- Although Ram had studied very hard, he did not score well.

4. In spite of , despite
In spite of vs Despite
In spite of - used to express the idea of contrast.

A). In spite of - is used as a preposition. In spite of + noun means almost same as although + clause.

e.g - We went out in spite of the rain. ( = .... although it was raining.)

B). In spite of is the opposite of because of .

e.g - She passed her exams in spite of her teacher. => (She had a bad teacher)

She passed her exams because of her teacher. => (She had a good teacher).

C). In spite of cannot be followed directly by a that - clause. Instead we can use in spite of the fact that

e.g - He is a good company in spite of the fact that he talks all the time.

Note - In formal English, despite can be used in the same way as in spite of.

e.g

Sita went on working in spite of feeling unwell.-- Correct
Sita went on working despite feeling unwell.-- Correct