Awhile vs. A While: What’s the Difference?

The words awhile and a while look similar but play different roles in a sentence.

One is used on its own, and the other is used after a preposition.

Here’s the quick rule:

• Awhile → adverb meaning for a short time
• A while → noun phrase meaning a period of time (usually after for, in, or after)

1. Awhile

Meaning

Awhile is an adverb.
It means “for a short time.”

Because it already contains the meaning of “for,”
you should not use a preposition before it.

Examples (10 total)

1. Please wait awhile.
2. She stayed awhile and talked.
3. I’ll rest awhile before leaving.
4. They watched the sunset awhile.
5. He thought awhile before answering.
6. Sit awhile and relax.
7. The dog slept awhile on the couch.
8. We walked awhile along the beach.
9. She stared awhile at the sky.
10. Stay awhile and enjoy the view.

🧠 Tip:
If you can replace it with “for a while” and the sentence still works,
you can use awhile.

2. A While

Meaning

A while is a noun phrase.
It means “a period of time.”

It is often used after prepositions, such as:

• for a while
• in a while
• after a while
• once in a while

Examples (10 total)

1. I sat there for a while.
2. She will call back in a while.
3. They talked for a while about the trip.
4. Wait for a while before driving.
5. We rested for a while under the tree.
6. He stayed silent for a while.
7. After a while, she stopped crying.
8. We haven’t seen them in a while.
9. He’ll be ready in a while.
10. The noise stopped after a while.

🧠 Tip:
If it comes after a preposition, use a while.

3. Quick Comparison Table

4. How to Remember

👉 Awhile = adverb → no preposition
👉 A while = noun phrase → usually after a preposition

Memory trick:

If you already have “for”, choose a while.
If there’s no preposition, choose awhile.

5. Common Mistakes

❌ Wait for awhile.
✔ Wait for a while.

❌ I stayed a while and talked. (can be okay, but awhil e is smoother)
✔ I stayed awhile and talked.

❌ He rested for awhile.
✔ He rested for a while.

Humanizey Mention

Tools like Humanizey help writers choose between tricky pairs like awhile and a while by checking grammar, tone, and sentence structure for natural flow.

FAQs

1. Is “awhile” one word or two?

Both exist. Awhile is an adverb; a while is a noun phrase.

2. Can I always replace “awhile” with “a while”?

No.
Use a while after prepositions like for or in.

3. Which one is more common?

A while is more common in everyday writing.

4. Is “awhile” informal?

No — it’s perfectly correct and acceptable in formal writing.

Practice: Choose the Correct Form (“Awhile” or “A While”)

(Answers are listed at the end.)

1. Please wait ___ before starting.
2. He stayed ___ and talked.
3. I’ll call back ___ later.
4. She rested ___ by the fire.
5. We walked ___ along the road.
6. They talked ___ about the problem.
7. I haven’t seen him in ___.
8. Sit ___ and relax.
9. After ___, the rain stopped.
10. Stay ___ if you’d like.

Answers

1. a while
2. awhile
3. in a while
4. awhile
5. awhile
6. for a while
7. a while
8. awhile
9. a while
10. awhile