Awhile vs A While
Last week another writer asked me why I wrote a while instead of awhile in the following sentence: After a while, I didn’t notice the cigarette smell.
Years ago, I would have written awhile, but after having editors change that to a while so many times, I now automatically split the word without thinking of why. To answer her question, I had to ask myself why I did it or why or when the word should be split into two words. Here’s what I learned.
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, the adverb awhile, meaning “for a short time,” should be written as one word (we paused awhile). The noun phrase, meaning “a period of time,” especially when preceded by a preposition, should be written as two words (Margaret rested for a while; we’ll be there in a while).
Merriam Webster explains the difference in usage in a similar way, and on-line gives several helpful examples and shows how different national publications use the word/words. (However, the site points out that not all publications follow the rule.)
Merriam Webster’s Definition: Awhile is an adverb that means “for a while,” whereas “while” is a noun meaning “a period of time.” Generally, you should use the two word form, “a while,” when following a preposition (I will read for a while), or with the words ago or back (a while ago/back). The singular word “awhile” should be used to modify a verb (I will wait awhile) and can usually replace any usage of “for a while.”
Okay, so, the general rule is:
‘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.”
Got it; however, don’t be surprised if you find periodicals and/or books that don’t follow the above rule. In my case, I do what the my editor says.
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This is the new thing I learned today. Thank you for helping me be smarter.
Susie, I love it when someone asks me a question that I don’t know the answer to because I then have to do some research and the process makes me smarter.
Explained perfectly. The difference in how the word is being used: as an adverb or a noun. 🙂
Thank you, Diana. Once I realized the difference, the reason my editors had changed awhile to a while made sense.
Here’s something I see often: ‘alright’ when it should be ‘all right.’
That’s the rule I learned as well, but I’ve had editors “correct” this usage for being too formal.
I wonder, Pat, if this is one of those words that is changing, like all right and alright.
Jacqueline, it always jars me when I’m reading along and see alright, but that seems to be the going trend. I prefer all right.
These are the delightful subtleties that make language such fun
Makes it fun, John, and sometimes frustrating.
There are a lot of words like this. You could do a series of blogs on it. 🙂
Anne, that and which are words (when to use one or the other) that confuse me. I think I may have blogged about those two words in the past (or read a blog about them), but I still don’t feel I know when to use one or the other.
Thanks Maris, now I know
Pat, thanks for asking.
Thanks for this reminder, Maris. I tend to mix them up. As for all right and alright, I cringe when I see alright. I used to ask my students if they would use alwrong. That helped us all to remember.
Bette, I have the same reaction when I see alright. I fear that will be the way it’s spelled in the not too distant future, but I’ll continue using all right.