You're typing out a quick email or maybe a caption for a photo, and you hit a wall. You want to end a sentence with "though." It feels right. It sounds natural. But then that little voice in your head—or maybe the red underline from your spellchecker—starts screaming. You start wondering about parts of speech. You ask yourself: is though a preposition or am I just breaking every rule of English I learned in middle school?
Grammar is messy. Honestly, it's a disaster most of the time because English is three languages standing on each other's shoulders wearing a trench coat. If you’re looking for a one-word answer, here it is: No. "Though" is almost never a preposition.
But wait.
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If it's not a preposition, why do we use it in places where prepositions usually hang out? Why does it feel so much like "despite" or "instead of" in certain sentences? To really get why this matters for your writing, we have to look at what this word actually does when it's out in the wild.
The Conjunction Confusion: Is Though a Preposition in Disguise?
Most of the time, "though" is a subordinating conjunction. That's a mouthful. Basically, it’s a word that connects a dependent clause to an independent one. Think of it as the glue between two ideas that don't quite agree with each other.
"Though it was raining, we went for a walk."
In this case, "though" is introducing the fact that it’s raining. It’s setting the stage for the contrast. If you swap it with "although," the sentence stays exactly the same. That’s your first big clue. Prepositions can't do that. A preposition like "in," "on," or "between" needs a noun or a pronoun to follow it to create a relationship in space or time. "Though" doesn't care about space or time; it cares about logic and contradiction.
People get confused because "though" and "despite" mean roughly the same thing. However, "despite" is a preposition. You say "Despite the rain." You don't say "Though the rain." You’d have to say "Though it rained" or "Though there was rain." That tiny little verb—"was" or "rained"—is the bridge that makes "though" a conjunction. Without the verb, the word "though" just falls apart in that position.
When Adverbs Take Over
This is where things get weird. English speakers love to tack "though" onto the end of sentences.
"The food was cold. I liked it, though."
In this scenario, "though" isn't connecting two clauses. It's sitting there all by itself at the end of the thought. When it does this, it’s functioning as an adverb. It’s modifying the entire preceding statement. It’s basically a cooler, more casual way of saying "however."
If you try to treat it as a preposition here, the sentence structure breaks. Prepositions need an object. If "though" were a preposition in that sentence, there would need to be something after it. "I liked it though the..." The sentence would feel unfinished. Because it feels complete, you know you're dealing with an adverb.
The "As Though" Trap
There is one specific phrase that trips up even professional editors: "as though."
When you say, "He looked as though he’d seen a ghost," the phrase "as though" is working together as a complex conjunction. Some older grammar texts—we’re talking stuff from the early 20th century—occasionally flirted with the idea of these being prepositional phrases, but modern linguistics has largely moved away from that.
Linguists like Geoffrey Pullum, co-author of The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language, have spent a lot of time deconstructing these "function words." The consensus is pretty clear. Even when it's paired with "as," it’s still performing the job of a conjunction. It’s introducing a clause ("he’d seen a ghost").
Why Do We Keep Asking if Though is a Preposition?
The confusion usually stems from the way we learn "direction" words. We are taught that prepositions show the relationship between things. Since "though" shows a relationship of contrast, our brains want to lump it in with "but" or "despite."
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But grammar isn't just about what a word means; it's about what a word does.
Think about the word "fast."
- The car is fast (Adjective).
- The car drove fast (Adverb).
- They fast during the holiday (Verb).
"Though" is less of a shapeshifter than "fast," but it still occupies two distinct roles (conjunction and adverb) that never actually touch the territory of a preposition.
Practical Examples and Real-World Usage
Let's look at how this plays out in actual writing so you can see the difference. If you're trying to figure out if you're using it correctly, try the substitution trick.
The Conjunction Test:
Can you replace it with "although"?
- "Though he was tired, he finished the book." -> "Although he was tired..." (Works perfectly. It's a conjunction.)
The Adverb Test:
Can you replace it with "however" at the end of the thought?
- "It was a long trip. It was worth it, though." -> "It was a long trip. However, it was worth it." (Works perfectly. It's an adverb.)
The Preposition Test (The Fail State):
Can you replace it with "despite" without changing any other words?
- "Though the cold, he ran." (This sounds wrong because it is. You'd need "Despite the cold.")
The Evolution of "Though" in Digital Spaces
Language isn't static. In 2026, we see "though" being used in ways that would make a 1950s schoolteacher faint. On social media, you’ll see people just post a picture of a sunset and caption it: "That view, though."
In this context, it’s technically still an adverb, but it’s functioning as an intensifier. It’s a shorthand for "That view is incredible, though, isn't it?" It’s a linguistic shortcut. Does it make it a preposition? Still no. It’s just an adverb that’s being used to imply a whole bunch of unspoken words.
Nuance: Even Though vs. Though
Is there a difference when you add "even"? Usually, "even though" is just a stronger version of the conjunction. It emphasizes the contrast.
"Even though I studied, I failed."
You could use "Despite my studying," but again, "despite" is your prepositional workhorse. "Even though" requires the subject ("I") and the verb ("studied"). This is the golden rule of identifying these parts of speech: if there is a subject and a verb following the word, you are almost certainly looking at a conjunction, not a preposition.
Improving Your Writing Today
Understanding that "though" is not a preposition helps you clean up your syntax. It stops you from trying to force the word into places where it doesn't belong. If you want to sound more professional, use "although" at the start of sentences and "though" as an adverb at the end for a more conversational feel.
Avoid using "though" at the beginning of a sentence if you aren't following it up with a full clause. It's a common mistake in casual texting that bleeds into professional emails.
Next Steps for Mastery:
- Audit your "thoughs": Look at the last three emails you sent. If you used "though," check if a verb followed it. If not, make sure it was at the end of the sentence as an adverb.
- Practice the "Despite" swap: Whenever you feel the urge to use "though" as a preposition, swap it for "despite" or "in spite of." Your sentences will immediately feel more structurally sound.
- Watch for "Although" vs "Though": In formal documents, lean on "although" for the beginning of sentences. Save "though" for your adverbs to keep the rhythm of your writing varied and engaging.
Grammar doesn't have to be a cage. It's just a map. Once you know where the boundaries are—like knowing is though a preposition or a conjunction—you can navigate your writing with a lot more confidence.