Is it possible and correct to use 'but' with 'in spite of' and 'if' I've observed some cases which they've used the coordinating conjunction with 'if' or 'in spite of'. It raises my doubt about this c

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Ardavan

Is it possible and correct to use 'but' with 'in spite of' and 'if' I've observed some cases which they've used the coordinating conjunction with 'if' or 'in spite of'. It raises my doubt about this compound. If it is correct, please explain it more. For example: "she wasn't feeling well, but in spite of this she went to work." I would rather write it without 'but'. something like this: "She went to work in spite of not feeling well." Thanks in advance.

Jun 30, 2017 9:16 PM

Answers · 6

Both options are OK. "in spite of" is a prepositional phrase which, by definition, must be attached to a noun. In the first sentence, the noun is "this" and in the second, the noun is "not feeling well" (a gerund phrase). "but" is a conjunction and so has a different function in a sentence to "in spite of". "But" joins two independent clauses here whereas there is only one clause in the second one.

June 30, 2017