Which is correct a while or awhile?
Awhile is an adverb that means “for a while,” whereas “while” is a noun meaning “a period of time.” Generally, the two-word form “a while” should be used when following a preposition (“I will read for a while”), or with the words ago or back (“a while ago/back”).
How do you use awhile in a sentence?
Examples of awhile in a Sentence I’m going to sit and rest awhile. The rumor had been around awhile.
Is for a while correct?
Sure. “Awhile” means a period of time. So we use “for a while” and “in a while” quite differently. “For a while” is used when we’re talking about a duration of time.
What is for a while means?
1. for a while – for a short time; “sit down and stay awhile”; “they settled awhile in Virginia before moving West”; “the baby was quiet for a while” awhile.
Is awhile a preposition?
Awhile is an adverb. Since prepositions need an object of the preposition after them (a noun or pronoun), this one-word version is not the correct choice after a preposition. You need the two-word version after a preposition.
What means a while?
for a period of time
Awhile is an adverb which means “for a period of time.” A while is a noun phrase which means “a period of time.”
How do you say been a while?
– I haven’t seen you for ages! – Yes, it’s been a while. You can also say “it’s been ages.” Another expression that could be used in spoken English for such occasions ‘long time no see’.
Is being a while correct?
“It’s” is a contraction. In English, contractions shorten certain combinations of words. In this case, “it’s” is a shortened form of “it has.” “It’s been a while” is only correct when the apostrophe is included.
What time is a while?
“A while” has no specific or defined meaning as a measure of duration. “A while” as a duration of time is purely dependent upon the context. In general though, perhaps it is used to describe a longer period of time, than a shorter one. The actial amount of time though could be of any length.
Is awhile a conjunction?
‘Awhile’ is an adverb that attaches directly on to a verb (in this case, the verb ‘play’). It specifically means a short period of time.
Is been awhile correct?
“It’s been a while” is only correct when the apostrophe is included. The apostrophe must be used because it shows where letters have been removed.
What is it’s been a while?
it has been a while (since we’ve spoken): it has been quite a long time, a lot of time has passed, it’s been ages (since we’ve spoken) idiom.
What means for a while?
for a while – for a short time; “sit down and stay awhile”; “they settled awhile in Virginia before moving West”; “the baby was quiet for a while” awhile.
Is while an adverb?
While is not an adverb; it is the entire phrase headed by while which acts as an adverb. In traditional grammar while is classified as a subordinating conjunction, because it joins a full declarative subordinate clause (you sleep in your example) to the main clause.
How do you write it’s been awhile?
1 Answer
- Used as an adverb, it’s written as just one word: awhile.
- Used as a noun, it’s written as two words separated by a space: a while.
Is awhile a word in English?
“Awhile” means “for a time,” and it’s an adverb. Notice in the following sentence that you could replace “awhile” with another adverb such as “quietly”: Go play awhile.
Is been a while correct?
Neither one is correct. It should be “It’s been a while since I saw you.” These two terms represent different parts of speech. The two-word expression a while is a noun phrase, consisting of the article a and the noun while (which means “a period or interval of time”).
Why is while a noun?
While is a word in the English language that functions both as a noun and as a subordinating conjunction. Its meaning varies largely based on its intended function, position in the phrase and even the writer or speaker’s regional dialect.
What form of grammar is while?
While is a word in the English language that functions both as a noun and as a subordinating conjunction.
What part of speech is a while?
Awhile is an adverb which means “for a period of time.” A while is a noun phrase which means “a period of time.”
Is it a while a conjunction or preposition?
conjunction
During is a preposition; while is a conjunction.
Is awhile an adverb?
Awhile Definition Awhile, written as one word, is an adverb, and it means “for a period of time.” Basically, awhile equals for plus a while. Being an adverb, awhile is used just like any other adverb.
Is a while a conjunction?
How can I use while as a preposition?
While is used when speaking about two actions happening at the same time. The length of the action is not important. While we were eating dinner, the radio was playing. The doorbell rang while we were eating dinner.
Is while a conjunction word?
How do you use awhile and while in a sentence?
The Quick and Dirty Tip is that awhile and a while both describe a vague length of time, but you use the one-word version when you need an adverb and the two-word version when you need a noun. To tell the difference, you can test your sentence with other nouns and adverbs.
What is the meaning of the song a while awhile?
A While Awhile is an adverb which means “for a period of time.” A while is a noun phrase which means “a period of time.” Back in 2001, the American nu-metal band Staind released the song “It’s Been Awhile” as a single from their album Break the Cycle.
What is the difference between’a while’and’a awhile’?
‘Awhile’ is typically used to modify a verb: “I’m going to sit and read awhile.” ‘A while’ is typically used after a preposition: “I’m going to read for a while longer.” Most grammarians feel that awhile should only be used to modify a verb and a while should be used after prepositions or in phrases like a while ago or a while back.
What is the meaning of the word awhile?
Awhile, written as one word, is an adverb, and it means “for a period of time.” Basically, awhile equals for plus a while. Being an adverb, awhile is used just like any other adverb.