Awhile vs. A While | Difference, Examples & Quiz
Awhile and a while are pronounced similarly but have different grammatical roles and slightly distinct meanings.
- Awhile (one word) is an adverb meaning “for a period of time.”
- A while (two words) is a noun phrase meaning “a period of time.”
| Examples: “Awhile” in a sentence | Examples: “A while” in a sentence |
|---|---|
| After his run, Dane rested awhile. | We’ll go to the park in a while. |
| Jodi studies awhile each evening. | It’s been a while since I’ve seen Stephanie. |
Awhile is an adverb
Awhile is an adverb that means “for a period of time” or “for a while.” As an adverb, awhile always modifies a verb that precedes it in a sentence. It already includes the meaning of “for,” so you should not write “for awhile.”
Stay awhile and chat!
A while is a noun phrase
A while is a noun phrase (consisting of the indefinite article “a” and the noun “while”) meaning “a period of time.” It’s often preceded by a preposition (e.g., “for,” “in,” “after”).
Pam spent a while trying to decide on a gift for Liz.
As a noun phrase, a while can be modified by an adjective to qualify the unspecified period of time.
I hope the band plays for a while longer.
Awhile ago or a while ago
A while ago is commonly used to refer to an unspecified time in the past. “Awhile ago” is incorrect—the adverb awhile must always modify a verb. That means you need the noun here.
Awhile back or a while back
A while back is synonymous with a while ago. It’s commonly used to refer to an unspecified time in the past. “A while back” is incorrect; you need the noun phrase a while, not the adverb awhile (which can only modify a verb).
Quiz: A while vs. awhile
You can test your understanding of the difference between “awhile” and “a while” with the worksheet below. Fill in “awhile” or “awhile” in each sentence.
- Ariana was tired, so she sat _______.
- Trevor said he would call in _______.
- _______ later, I realized I had lost my wallet.
- Jade hadn’t seen Jean-Paul in _______, so she asked him to stay _______.
- _______ ago, I saw a fox in the garden.
- Ariana was tired, so she sat awhile.
- Here, “awhile” is correct. It is an adverb meaning “for a short period of time.” In this instance, it is modifying the verb “sat.”
- Trevor said he would call in a while.
- Here, the noun phrase “a while” is correct. It means “a period of time” and is typically preceded by a preposition (e.g., “in”).
- A while later, I realized I had lost my wallet.
- Here, the noun phrase “a while” is correct. As a noun phrase, it can be modified by an adjective to qualify the unspecified period of time. In this instance, it’s modified by the adjective “later.”
- Jade hadn’t seen Jean-Paul in a while, so she asked him to stay awhile.
- Here, both “a while” and “awhile” are correct. In the first instance, the noun phrase “a while” is used to refer to an unspecified period of time. In the second instance, the adverb “awhile” is used to modify the verb “stay.”
- A while ago, I saw a fox in the garden.
- “A while ago” and “a while back” both refer to an unspecified time in the past. “Awhile ago” and “awhile back” are never correct, as the adverb “awhile” must always modify a verb.
Other interesting language articles
If you want to know more about commonly confused words, definitions, and differences between US and UK spellings, make sure to check out some of our other language articles with explanations, examples, and quizzes.
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Definitions
US vs. UK spellings
Sources in this article
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This Scribbr articleRyan, E. (October 10, 2022). Awhile vs. A While | Difference, Examples & Quiz. Scribbr. Retrieved October 17, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/commonly-confused-words/awhile-vs-a-while/
