Conjunction vs Preposition in TOEFL ITP: Although vs Despite, Because vs Because Of, and 3 More Traps
Conjunction vs preposition in TOEFL ITP: although vs despite, because vs because of, and 3 more traps in Structure and Written Expression, with a quiz.
Although and despite both express contrast. Because and because of both express cause. So why is one right and the other wrong on a TOEFL® question?
The answer is what comes after them. A conjunction is followed by a full clause (subject + verb). A preposition is followed by a noun, noun phrase, or gerund (V-ing). The meanings may be close, but the structures are completely different.
This topic shows up constantly in TOEFL ITP Section 2, in both Structure (15 sentence-completion questions) and Written Expression (25 find-the-error questions). Here are the 5 traps used most often. (The slides below are in Indonesian, with English example sentences.)
The Key: Clause vs Phrase
Before the traps, make sure you can tell these apart:
- Clause = has a subject and a verb that carries tense: he studied hard, the weather was bad.
- Noun phrase = has no main verb: the bad weather, his hard work, studying hard.
So every time you see a connector in a question, ask: “Is there a subject + verb after this word, or not?” For a refresher on word types, see Parts of Speech 101.
Trap 1: Although vs Despite / In Spite Of
| Conjunction (+ S + V) | Preposition (+ noun / V-ing) |
|---|---|
| although, even though, though | despite, in spite of |
❌ Despite he studied hard, he could not pass the test.
✅ Although he studied hard, he could not pass the test.
✅ Despite studying hard, he could not pass the test.
✅ Despite his hard work, he could not pass the test.
Also note: despite is never followed by of. It’s despite or in spite of, never despite of. That’s a Written Expression favorite.
Trap 2: Because vs Because Of / Due To
| Conjunction (+ S + V) | Preposition (+ noun phrase) |
|---|---|
| because, since, as | because of, due to, owing to |
❌ The flight was delayed because of the weather was bad.
✅ The flight was delayed because the weather was bad.
✅ The flight was delayed because of the bad weather.
Quick trick: look at what follows because. Is there a verb like was, is, had, or rained? Use plain because. No verb at all? Use because of.
Trap 3: While vs During
Both can mean “in the time of”, but:
- while + clause (while he was reading), or the reduced form while + V-ing (while reading).
- during + a noun for a period or event: during the lecture, during the summer, during the exam.
❌ He fell asleep during he was reading the textbook.
✅ He fell asleep while he was reading the textbook.
✅ He fell asleep during the lecture.
In standard English, during is also not normally followed directly by a V-ing (during reading sounds off). If you want a V-ing, use while reading.
Trap 4: Double Connectors
This one is especially common for Indonesian learners, because Indonesian naturally says “Meskipun…, tetapi…” (although…, but…) or “Karena…, maka…” (because…, so…). In English, two clauses need only one connector.
❌ Although the task was tough, but they finished it.
✅ Although the task was tough, they finished it.
✅ The task was tough, but they finished it.
❌ Because it rained, so the match was cancelled.
✅ Because it rained, the match was cancelled.
✅ It rained, so the match was cancelled.
Handy rule: number of connectors = number of clauses minus 1. Two clauses, one connector. Three clauses, two connectors.
Trap 5: Like vs As
- like is a preposition meaning “similar to”, followed by a noun or pronoun: She sings like a professional. (she isn’t one, but sounds like one)
- as + noun means “in the role of”, for a real role or job: She works as a teacher.
- as can also be a conjunction followed by a clause: He completed the report as he was instructed.
❌ Dr. Sarah works like a researcher at the institute.
✅ Dr. Sarah works as a researcher at the institute.
Dr. Sarah really is a researcher, not just similar to one, so as is correct. In casual speech people often use like + clause (like I said), but for TOEFL stick to the formal rule: before a clause, use as.
Summary
| Meaning | + Clause (S + V) | + Noun / V-ing |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | although, even though | despite, in spite of |
| Cause | because, since, as | because of, due to, owing to |
| Time | while | during |
| Similarity / role | as | like (similar), as (role) |
Quick Quiz
Choose the correct option:
- ___ the heavy traffic, we arrived on time. (Although / Despite)
- She stayed home ___ she felt sick. (because / because of)
- The phone rang ___ the meeting. (while / during)
- Although he was tired, ___ he kept working. (but / no connector)
Answers:
- Despite (followed by the noun phrase the heavy traffic).
- because (followed by the clause she felt sick).
- during (followed by the noun the meeting).
- No connector: Although he was tired, he kept working.
Practice Structure Until It Flows
Conjunction vs preposition is mastered fastest through volume, because questions often disguise clauses and phrases inside long sentences.
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