Use of 'Despite' & 'In spite of'

Dear Fanatics,

Just wanted to review today's lessons with you.

Do remember that 'In spite of' and 'Despite' is usually used to:

1. Introduce a circumstance which makes the one following it, rather surprising or unlikely, but nonetheless a fact.

2. Introduce a subordinate clause.

How we can use these connectors:

Despite

1. despite something
2. despite + -ing
3. despite the fact that

Examples

He comes from a well-to-do family. He is not spoiled at all.

1. Despite coming from a well-to-do family, he is not spoiled at all.
2. Despite the fact that he comes from a well-to-do family, he is not spoiled at all.

In spite of

1. in spite of something

2. in spite of + -ing

3. in spite of the fact that

Examples

The singer was popular but not many people attended his concert.

1. In spite of the singer’s popularity, not many people attended his concert.

2. In spite of being popular, not many people attended the singer’s concert.

3. In spite of the fact that the singer was popular, not many people attended his concert.

Remember the cheat code that allows us to often copy the entire sentence from the question.

Mr Edmund Wu