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320
a) Whenever you come send me a note (any time when...).
b) When you come send me a note (the definite time when...).
There is some similarity between clauses of condition and concession. The difference lies in the fact that
whereas conditional clauses state the dependence of one action or circumstance on another, concessive clauses
imply a contrast or lack of dependence between them. Thus the following sentences with concessive clauses
Although the weather was bad, he went for a walk.
Although the weather was fine, he did not go for a walk (the second statement is surprising in the light of
the first),
may be rephrased using coordinate clauses joined by the contrastive but.
The weather was bad, but he went for a walk.
The weather was fine, but he did not go for a walk.
In complex sentences with a conditional clause the dependence has no contrast.
If the weather was fine he went for a walk. (The second statement results from the first.)
Note 1:
However, contrastive meaning is not characteristic of all types of concessive clauses. There are three types
of concessive clauses, which differ in the relation they bear to the principal clause and in the way they are
connected.
I. Clauses of admitted concession (придаточные уступительные со значением допущения).
Though there might be many obstacles to overcome, he faithfully believed in future.
Though all efforts fail, we shall never surrender.
Though war and danger were in store, war and danger might not befall for months to come.
Concessive clauses introduced by compound pronouns and adverbs in -ever are never adversative to the
main clause in their content, as they suggest a choice from among a number of possibilities.
Whoever he may be, he seems to be an honest man at least.
Wherever you live, you can keep a cat.
Whatever your problems are, they can’t be worse than mine.
Whatever guests you invite, they are welcome.
Clauses of admitted concession may have inverted word order; inversion is possible both with the
conjunctions though and as, which in this case occur in non-initial position (after the predicative), and with
conjunctive words.
Josephine could always eat, however excited she was (though she was excited).
Dark as it was getting, I could still see these changes (though it was getting dark).
Miraculous though it seemed to be, there was no miracle in their survival (though it seemed to be
miraculous).
The connective however, besides being a linking element, functions also as an adverbial modifier of degree
referring to the predicative (however excited she was).
Note 2: