imskpwr wrote:Having provided for life's basic necessities and having seen their children off into the world, the Baby Boomers are now more affluent, with more cash left over for discretionary spending.

(A) Having provided for life's basic necessities and having seen their children off into the world

(B) Having provided for life's basic necessities and seeing their children off into the world

(C) Having life's basic necessities provided for and their children being seen off into the world

(D) Although they have provided for life's necessities and seen their children off into the world

(E) Despite having provided for life's basic necessities and having seen their children off into the world

Please explain your answers.

patanjali.purpose wrote: E - use of DESPITE changes the meaning; original sentence makes a positive statement about baby boomers, but DESPITE makes it negative

D - use of ALTHOUGH (same as E)

imskpwr wrote:

patanjali.purpose wrote: E - use of DESPITE changes the meaning; original sentence makes a positive statement about baby boomers, but DESPITE makes it negative

D - use of ALTHOUGH (same as E)

Can you tell me how it is positive. I still feel it's negative and that why I picked a wrong option.

When to use "although", "despite", "in spite of", "though", and "even though"

Those words have the same meaning that is to describe the idea of contrast. But there's a little difference of using them.

Although is used before a full sentence

Although John has studied hard, his English is not better yet.
Note: John has studied hard is a full sentence that consists of a subject + Verb + object

Despite or in spite of is used before a phrase

Despite rough weather, John still comes on time.
In spite of rough weather, John still comes on time.
Note: Rough weather is a phrase/not a full sentence

Source: https://chescoern.blogspot.co.uk/2008/12 ... spite.html