でも vs けれど help

Japanese Language Grammar
1

Can someone explain to me the nuance between でも and けれど?

The book I’m using to study for the N5 defines them both as but. But then there are questions where both are given as possible answers and I’m not sure why one is right and one is wrong.

For example, for both these questions below I’m told けれど is the better answer and I’m not sure what makes this the better choice.

へただ （ )、歌うことがすきです。

A 「きょうの テスト、できましたか。」
B 「べんきょうした（ ）、あまり できませんでした。

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2

でも can’t come in the middle of a sentence like that. It comes at the start of a new sentence that contrasts with the previous sentence, so only けれど can fit there if those are the only two options.

What book are you using?

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3

Thank you!

I’m using Nihongo So-Matome N5, that’s where those questions are from.

4

I have found that the So-Matome books are usually pretty good about giving that kind of information in the blurbs about how to use the grammar points. Does it not have something about the position of でも in the introduction to that section?

5

I like to read a dozen or so example sentences when two grammar patterns feel too similar.

You can find some on Bunpro and various online resources linked from it: ても (JLPT N4) | Bunpro , けど・だけど (JLPT N5) | Bunpro , けれども (JLPT N5) | Bunpro

Specifically ても ・でも is a て-form, and so it cannot attach to だ in your first example, and to した in your second example. You could rephrase both to use it like this (perhaps a little bit forced):

下手でも、歌うことが好きです。

勉強しても、余り出来ませんでした。

6

I have a feeling the でも referred to in the OP is this one (the conjunction)

I don’t think ても is the grammar point in question.

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7

Fair enough, without seeing an example from OP’s book where でも is the correct answer, it’s not clear which specific usage the book introduced.

This was also a bit of a reaction/clarification to

in the sense that it can easily come in the middle of the sentence, it just cannot attach like that.

8

Well, yeah, I guess I should have said “if the でも that you’re referring to is the でも I think it is, then it can’t come in the middle of the sentence like that”.

There are indeed other でも’s, but they just seem less likely to be paired with けれど.