Linking — Advanced Contrast Markers (C2)

The proposal has obvious merits. , several board members remain unconvinced. (concession — "despite that")

the committee's objections, the development was approved at the final vote. (formal "in spite of" + noun — one word)

Generous praise can spur an employee on. , harsh criticism can quietly destroy their confidence. (by the same logic)

The repairs will be slow and ruinously expensive. , the cathedral is far too important to abandon. (despite that)

The risks were considerable; the expedition went ahead . (formal "nevertheless", placed at the end — one word)

Streaming has completely transformed how we watch films. , the cinema still offers something a living-room screen cannot. (concede the previous point — three words)

If we reward managers for cutting costs, then we should reward them for raising quality. (by the same reasoning)

She had trained for only six weeks. , she finished the marathon in a very respectable time. (despite that)

its tiny budget, the film achieved visual effects that rivalled major studio productions. (formal "despite" + noun — one word)

I know the figures all support the plan. , something about it leaves me uneasy. (despite that)

The interface is dated and a little clunky. , the software does exactly what it promises. (concede the criticism — two words)

The data set was incomplete. The conclusions are, , broadly persuasive. (a one-word "nevertheless", set off by commas mid-sentence)

Public figures who demand privacy should respect that of others; , reporters who expose hypocrisy must avoid it themselves. (by the same logic)

There were numerous legal challenges to the merger. The deal went through . (formal "all the same", placed at the very end — one word)

Critics savaged the restaurant for its eye-watering prices. , its tables are booked solid for weeks ahead. (despite that)