Choose the most appropriate conjunction to complete the sentence: "___ pompous, he was an entertaining person."

Introduction / Context:
Conjunctions and linking words are essential for showing relationships between ideas in a sentence. This question asks you to choose a word that correctly connects two contrasting ideas: being pompous and still being entertaining. Selecting the right conjunction helps the sentence sound natural and grammatically correct in English.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The incomplete sentence is: “___ pompous, he was an entertaining person.”
• The options are Though, Never, Despite, Before and Because.
• The two ideas in the sentence are: he was pompous; he was an entertaining person.
• We want to express contrast: despite his pomposity, he entertained others.
• We assume standard modern English usage of conjunctions and prepositions.

Concept / Approach:
The sentence contrasts a negative quality (pompous) with a positive result (entertaining). Common English connectors for contrast include though, although, even though, despite and in spite of. However, these words have different grammatical patterns. Though is a conjunction followed directly by a clause, as in “Though he was pompous, he was entertaining.” Despite is a preposition that must be followed by a noun or gerund, such as “Despite being pompous.” Therefore, when the blank is followed immediately by an adjective without being, the only natural choice is though, which sets up the contrast in a grammatically correct way.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that the sentence expresses a contrast: even if he was pompous, he was still entertaining.Step 2: Test option A: “Though pompous, he was an entertaining person.” This is a common and correct pattern in English.Step 3: Test option B: “Never pompous, he was an entertaining person.” This changes the meaning to say he was not pompous, which does not match the original idea.Step 4: Test option C: “Despite pompous, he was an entertaining person.” This is ungrammatical; we would need “Despite being pompous.”Step 5: Test option D: “Before pompous, he was an entertaining person.” This does not make logical sense in this context.Step 6: Test option E: “Because pompous, he was an entertaining person.” This incorrectly suggests pomposity is the reason he was entertaining, not a contrast. Thus, though is the correct conjunction.

Verification / Alternative check:
To verify the answer, you can rewrite the sentence in its full form: “Though he was pompous, he was an entertaining person.” English frequently allows dropping the pronoun and auxiliary verb after though, resulting in “Though pompous, he was an entertaining person.” Grammar references show many similar examples, such as “Though tired, she continued working.” In contrast, despite usually appears before a noun phrase or gerund (Despite his pomposity, he was entertaining; Despite being pompous, he was entertaining). Because introduces a reason, not a contrast. These patterns show that only though fits both the grammar and meaning of the original sentence.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Never changes the meaning to suggest he was not pompous, which conflicts with the intended contrast.
• Despite cannot be followed directly by an adjective; it needs a noun phrase or gerund, so “Despite pompous” is incorrect.
• Before is a time conjunction and makes no sense in this context.
• Because expresses cause and effect rather than opposition, so it does not convey the idea “in spite of being pompous.”

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse though and despite because both introduce contrast. The key difference is their grammatical pattern: though is a conjunction used with clauses, while despite is a preposition used with nouns or gerunds. Another pitfall is focusing only on meaning and ignoring grammar, which leads to incorrect combinations like “Despite proud” or “Because brave” without proper structure. To avoid mistakes, memorise typical patterns such as “Though + clause” and “Despite + noun/gerund.” This will help you choose the right connector quickly in exam questions.

Final Answer:
The correct answer is Though, giving the sentence “Though pompous, he was an entertaining person.”