How does one use with the word although - is it a special case and always surrounded by

You're on the right track! "Although" is indeed a special case and it's always used in a specific way:

"Although" introduces a contrasting idea. It sets up a situation where two opposing ideas exist. Think of it as "despite" or "even though".

Structure:

The structure for using "although" is:

* "Although" + Dependent Clause + , + Independent Clause

Example:

* Although it was raining, we decided to go for a walk.

Here's a breakdown:

* "Although it was raining" is a dependent clause (it can't stand alone as a sentence).

* "we decided to go for a walk" is an independent clause (it can stand alone as a sentence).

* The comma separates the two clauses.

Key points:

* "Although" always comes at the beginning of the dependent clause.

* The comma is mandatory when "although" is used in this structure.

Let's look at some more examples:

* Although I'm tired, I'm going to finish this task.

* Although she's only five years old, she can already read.

* Although the movie was long, it was very entertaining.

Remember: "Although" is a powerful word that can create interesting contrasts and make your writing more nuanced.