～つつ— While / Even Though

• 景色を楽しみつつ、山道を歩いた。

  Keshiki wo tanoshimi tsutsu, yamamichi wo aruita.

  I walked the mountain path while enjoying the scenery.

  ます-stem 楽しみ + つつ marks two simultaneous actions by one subject.

• 体に悪いと知りつつ、たばこをやめられない。

  Karada ni warui to shiri tsutsu, tabako wo yamerarenai.

  Even though I know it's bad for my health, I can't quit smoking.

  知り + つつ here expresses contradiction, close to 'even though'.

• 彼の実力は向上しつつある。

  Kare no jitsuryoku wa koujou shitsutsu aru.

  His ability is steadily improving.

  つつある indicates an ongoing, gradual progression.

• ・Register: formal/literary; ながら is the everyday spoken equivalent.
• ・つつも strengthens the 'even though' contradiction meaning.
• ・つつある is a set phrase meaning a process is in progress.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～つつ is tested against.

• に応えて — In Response To / Living Up To
• ～も～ば～も — Both This And That
• ～ことは～が — True, But…
• ～というと／といえば／といったら — Speaking Of
• にかかわらず — Regardless Of / Irrespective Of
• にせよ〜にせよ — Whichever the Case
• にもかかわらず — In Spite of It All
• ～のみならず — Not Only, But Also