NDA (II) 2016 GAT Q38: My old teacher gave many poor students money in spite of he

Q: What is the answer to NDA (II) 2016 GAT Q38?

A. Correct — A, even though. What follows the underlined words is a full clause with its own subject and verb, 'he was poor', and only a conjunction can introduce that; 'even though' is the conjunction of concession, which is exactly the meaning the sentence needs — the teacher gave although he had little himself.

NDA (II) 2016 General Ability Test · Question 38 of 150

Question text verified against the official NDA question paper.

My old teacher gave many poor students money in spite of he was poor.

(a)even though
(b)as if
(c)however
(d)NO IMPROVEMENT

Answer

Why

Correct — A, even though. What follows the underlined words is a full clause with its own subject and verb, 'he was poor', and only a conjunction can introduce that; 'even though' is the conjunction of concession, which is exactly the meaning the sentence needs — the teacher gave although he had little himself.

Why the others are wrong

(b)as if — 'As if' does take a clause, but it introduces a supposed comparison, so the sentence would say the teacher gave money in the manner of a poor man rather than in spite of being one.
(c)however — 'However' is a linking adverb, not a conjunction; it can begin a new sentence or follow a semicolon, but it cannot join two clauses inside one sentence the way this slot requires.
(d)NO IMPROVEMENT — 'In spite of' is a preposition and can only be followed by a noun, a pronoun or an -ing form, so putting the clause 'he was poor' after it is the very error being tested.

Concept

The tested difference is between a preposition, which takes a noun-like object, and a conjunction, which takes a whole clause.

The quickest check on any item of this kind is to look at what comes immediately after the underlined words. If it is a subject with a finite verb, the linking word must be a conjunction. 'In spite of' would have been correct before a noun or an -ing form — 'in spite of his poverty', 'in spite of being poor' — and the exam turns that distinction into an item by leaving a clause behind it instead.

Key facts

'In spite of' and 'despite' are prepositions; 'although', 'though' and 'even though' are conjunctions of concession.
'Despite of' is not English — 'despite' never takes 'of'.

Study next

Prepositions and conjunctions of concession — despite, in spite of, although, even thoughTurning a clause into an -ing phrase so a preposition can be keptLinking adverbs such as however, therefore and nevertheless and the punctuation they need

Common traps

Following 'in spite of' or 'despite' with a full clause.
Using 'however' as though it could join two clauses without a semicolon or a full stop.

Asked as a sentence-improvement item in which a preposition is planted where the grammar of the second half demands a conjunction.

Related PYQs

NDA_GAT_2017_I_Q212017Open & attempt →

I disliked him not so much for his meanness but for his dishonesty.

(a) as for
(b) but because
(c) but due to
(d) No improvement

Answer(a) as for

Both items replace a wrongly chosen linking word. There 'not so much' can only be completed by 'as', not by 'but'; here a clause can only be introduced by a conjunction, not by the preposition 'in spite of'.

Practice

practice — not a real PYQ
Which option best improves the underlined part — Despite of the heavy rain, the match was played to a finish.
- (a)In spite
- (b)Despite
- (c)Although
- (d)No improvement
Answer(b) Despite — 'despite' never takes 'of', and the phrase after it is a noun, not a clause.
practice — not a real PYQ
Which option best improves the underlined part — She kept working in spite of she was unwell.
- (a)although
- (b)in spite
- (c)besides
- (d)No improvement
Answer(a) although — a full clause follows, so a conjunction is required.