although

although, though

Though can always be used instead of although, but the same is not true the other way round.

1. Both words can be used as a conjunction introducing a subordinate clause

• (He did well, although he did not win an outright majority —Economist, 1981

• Though there was a tendency for students to factionalize, there were always students good about diplomacy —Christian Science Monitor, 1982

• Although the defendant had undoubtedly committed an offence of failing to give full particulars, that was not an arrestable offence —Times, 1984).

Where they are interchangeable, however, although generally has a stronger concessive force, and is somewhat more usual in initial position in a sentence.

2. In the following uses, though alone is possible: (1) as an adverb in medial or final position

• (It is true though that one misses out on one's husband's early years of struggle —Times, 1985)

(2) in inverted constructions (Young though he is, he doesn't look it), (3) in the fixed expressions as though and even though

• (Anderson is a borderline New Waver who looks as though she has been out in the rain upside down —Washington Post, 1982

• He was by no means a dry, boring theoretician even though he wrote extraordinarily advanced books on dance —Margot Fonteyn, 1980).