even granting that

USAGE SUMMARY

"even granting that" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it when you want to concede that a certain premise may be true in order to move on to a different point. For example, "Even granting that the team wasn't performing well, the coach should have been more mindful of the player's feelings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

But even granting that, critics said, Spanish air traffic controllers are in a league of their own.

The New York Times

Even granting that "individuality" is an aspect of a good human life, we should wonder why it takes priority over all other aspects.

SEP

More importantly, even granting that "economic inequality per se" is not necessarily bad, technology's acceleration of economic inequality will exacerbate our existing, deeply unfair, inequities.

TechCrunch

Even granting that achievement, friendship and the like tend to cause pleasure, however, why think this merely instrumental consideration also causes us to think these non-hedonic matters have their own non-instrumental value?

SEP

But even granting that reply, Hájek points out that 5 may be questioned; and 6 is deeply problematic, since lack of analogy is at best an obscure reason for concluding that an event is maximally improbable.

SEP

Even granting that assumption, however, Kasich faces long odds.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

Even granted that venture capitalists can be irrational and prone to excess, a startup has to appear poised to deliver on big promises in order to raise that kind of cash; to put it into context, in advance of putting Amazon online, in 1995, Jeff Bezos raised less than a million dollars, including a hundred thousand from his own parents.

The New Yorker

Even granted that Eco may have been indulging here in the kind of ex-post-facto imaginative exercise that Lawrence Durrell did after the publication of the Alexandria Quartet had turned him, similarly, into a wealthy pundit, that statement certainly gives one pause.

The New York Times - Books

In their appeal, among other issues they point out that while the law says that it cannot be applied to protests that have been granted authorization, neither the Montreal police, nor City of Montreal lawyers, nor the Attorney General of Quebec, could say that there is a body that can even grant that authorization.

Vice

Even granted that the current dangers of Ebola have been greatly overblown, this isn't a wholly irrational posture.

The New Yorker

I'll even grant that knowing what Disney is or is not doing with Miramax justifies reliance on unidentified sources.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "even granting that" to introduce a counter-argument or to concede a point before presenting your main argument. This enhances the credibility of your writing by showing you've considered alternative perspectives.

Common error

Avoid starting too many sentences or paragraphs with "even granting that" or similar phrases. Overuse can make your writing sound repetitive and weaken the impact of your main points. Use a variety of sentence structures to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "even granting that" functions as a concessive conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause that acknowledges a point before presenting a contrasting or qualifying statement. This serves to recognize an opposing viewpoint while simultaneously setting the stage for a differing perspective. Ludwig AI confirms this usage with numerous examples across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "even granting that" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to introduce a concession before presenting a contrasting or qualifying point. As Ludwig highlights, it's common across diverse formal contexts, including scientific literature, news media, and business communications. Its primary function is to acknowledge an opposing viewpoint or a potential limitation, thereby strengthening the overall argument by demonstrating objectivity. While the phrase is generally appropriate, it's important to avoid overuse and ensure that the contrasting point made after the concession is sufficiently compelling. Alternatives like "even if" or "although" can be used for stylistic variation, although they may not carry the same explicit weight of concession as "even granting that".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

even conceding that

Focuses on the act of yielding or admitting a point.

granting for the sake of argument

Highlights that the concession is made to facilitate discussion.

accepting as true that

Emphasizes the acceptance of a statement as a basis for further reasoning.

even if we assume that

Emphasizes the hypothetical nature of the concession, highlighting the assumption being made.

admitting for the moment that

Limits the concession to the current context, implying potential later revisions.

even supposing that

Implies a degree of uncertainty or skepticism about the conceded point.

allowing that to be true

States the concession as a possibility or potential truth.

even with the understanding that

Highlights the specific understanding or condition accompanying the concession.

assuming that is indeed the case

Explicitly states the assumption and questions its validity.

even if it were the case that

Highlights the hypothetical nature of the concession with a formal tone.

FAQs

How can I use "even granting that" in a sentence?

Use "even granting that" to introduce a concession before making a contrasting point. For example, "Even granting that the economy is improving, many people are still struggling."

What's a good alternative to "even granting that"?

Alternatives include "even if", "even though", "assuming that", or "granting that", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "even granting that"?

While grammatically correct, using "even granting that" might be inappropriate if the concession undermines your main argument too strongly. Ensure the contrasting point you make after the concession is more compelling.

What is the difference between "even granting that" and "although"?

"Even granting that" introduces a more explicit concession before presenting a contrasting point, whereas "although" simply introduces a contrasting idea. "Even granting that" often implies a stronger acknowledgment of the validity of the initial point before moving on.