Grammar Guide: Adverb Clauses of Unexpected Results

Since April 1970, the United States has celebrated Earth Day. Earth Day was started to help people realize the importance of taking care of the environment. Although thousands of factories polluted the air and water everyday before the 1970s, it was not illegal. Nobody could make the factories pay for the damage they caused. Today, however, these same factories have to follow certain rules to protect our environment. On April 22 each year, people all over the United States try to do their part to remember to keep our world healthy and clean. Even though it may be difficult to do sometimes, we know that protecting our environment will keep everyone happy and healthy.

Adverb Clauses of Unexpected Results
These adverb clauses show that an actual result may be unexpected in certain circumstances. We use the subordinating conjunctions although or even though to show that the result is not what we would expect.

Notice how the result is not what we would expect in these examples:

• Although thousands of factories polluted the air and water everyday before the 1970s, it was not illegal.
• Even though it may be difficult to do sometimes, we know that protecting our environment will keep everyone happy and healthy.

In the first sentence, we would expect the factories to be punished somehow for destroying the environment. However, this was not true. We use although to show that the result is unexpected. In the second sentence, we would expect people to not worry about the environment because it might be difficult. However, we do! Even though also shows that this result is unexpected.

To learn more about Earth Day, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency and choose something you can do to protect our planet. To learn more about Nomen Global, visit our website or 'like' us on Facebook.