But vs The club's long albeit modest history

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

But

High-frequency chunkA1conjunction

The club's long albeit modest history

Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Most common: But
 ButThe club's long albeit modest history
Pronunciation🇬🇧 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/bət//bʌt/"]/🇬🇧 //ðə klʌbz lɒŋ ɔːlˈbeɪ ˈmɒdɪst ˈhɪstəri//🇺🇸 //ðə klʌbz lɔŋ ɔlˈbiː ˈmɑdɪst ˈhɪstəri//
MeaningUsed to show contrast or exception.The club has a long, though not very impressive, history.
ExampleI wanted to go, but it started to rain.The restaurant has a long, albeit modest, reputation in the community.
RegisterNeutralNeutral
How commonHigh-frequency chunkBeyond 10,000 (less common)
CEFR levelA1-
Part of speechconjunction
Collocationsbut I thought, but what about, but still, but then, but alsolong albeit modest reputation, long albeit modest history, long albeit modest career
Antonymsand, orThe club's short albeit grand history, The club's brief albeit insignificant history
Common mistakesConfusing 'but' with 'and' when showing contrast., Starting a sentence with 'but' in very formal writing., Using a comma before 'but' when the clauses are very short.'Albeit' cannot be used at the beginning of a sentence., Confusing 'albeit' with 'although'., Using 'albeit' without a contrasting idea.
Usage notes'But' is used to connect two contrasting ideas. It’s appropriate in both spoken and written English but may sound abrupt in very formal writing.Use 'albeit' in formal or neutral contexts to contrast two statements. Avoid in informal speech.

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The club's long albeit modest history

Frequently asked questions: But vs The club's long albeit modest history

What's the difference between But and The club's long albeit modest history?

But: Used to show contrast or exception. The club's long albeit modest history: The club has a long, though not very impressive, history.

Which is more common: But and The club's long albeit modest history?

But is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

But: I wanted to go, but it started to rain. The club's long albeit modest history: The restaurant has a long, albeit modest, reputation in the community.

Can I use But and The club's long albeit modest history interchangeably?

Not always. But and The club's long albeit modest history are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.

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