What Is the Difference Between Awhile and a While?

Question

I am trying to type an essay. I don't know which word to use in this sentence! "I might have a grade lower than that when I enroll, but everyone struggles once in awhile/a while." Could you also tell the difference between the two words? Thank you!

Answer 1

A while is a noun meaning “a length of time”

• “I slept for a while.”

- (compare with “I slept for a bit” and “I slept for three hours”)



“I was away from my desk for a while.”

- (compare with “I was away from my desk for two minutes”)



Awhile is an adverb, meaning “for a time,” or literally, “for a while”.

• “I slept awhile before dinner.”

(compare with “I slept deeply before dinner” and “I slept badly before dinner”.)



As you can see, the words can be used almost interchangeably in some cases – but a while needs to be accompanied by a preposition, such as “for” (“I slept for a while”) or “ago” (“I left work a while ago”). Awhile always means “for a while”.

Answer 2

Awhile, an adverb, is never preceded by a preposition such as for, but the two-word form a while may be preceded by a preposition. In writing, each of the following is acceptable: stay awhile; stay for a while; stay a while (but not stay for awhile).



while (noun)

a period of indeterminate length (usually short) marked by some action or condition; "he was here for a little while"; "I need to rest for a piece"; "a spell of good weather"; "a patch of bad weather"



awhile (adverb)

for a short time; "sit down and stay awhile"; "they settled awhile in Virginia before moving West"; "the baby was quiet for awhile"





now i'm more confused than you were (lol) sorry

Answer 3

Awhile is mostly used when to refer to a gap. On the other hand, a while is referring to a certain amount of time. For instance: "After a while, the girl went to sleep."

Answer 4

'Awhile' is more of a North American spelling. British and many Commonwealth countries use 'a while'.