February 2, 1998

awhile/a while

Please give some information about "awhile" vs. "a while." Is it always one word, always two words, or does it all depend on how you use it?

Sigh. This is going to be another tough one.

The forms a while and awhile are not the same, and the choice depends on how you use them. There is a "standard" rule that many usage commentators cite, but the rule is often not followed and it is not always possible to tell when it should be applied.

The simple explanation is that the single word awhile is an adverb meaning 'for a short time': "We drove awhile, and then stopped for a rest." The form a while is a noun phrase: "A while ago, I was living in Paris." The usage that's most often criticized is the use of the single word awhile where the noun phrase a while is thought to be correct, particularly the use of awhile after a preposition: "I'll stay for awhile." Traditional rules require that the object of a preposition be a noun or noun phrase, thus "I'll stay for a while," equivalent to "I'll stay for a period of time."

Two problems make the situation unfortunate for those who like simple rules. One is that you can't always tell whether something is an adverb or a noun phrase with adverbial function, and both may be correct. Thus, in the sentence "We waited awhile," the form "awhile" could be viewed as an adverb modifying "waited," paralleled by "We waited longer." But it could also be written "We waited a while," with "a while" viewed as a noun phrase, paralleled by "We waited a few days longer." In fact, since the adverb awhile derives from the noun phrase a while written solid in adverbial function, it's usually at least possible to regard the form as a noun phrase and write it a while.

The second problem is that actual usage over the centures has varied a great deal. There are many examples, from noted sources, of awhile ago, or for awhile, or that will take awhile. Though one could just say that these are all errors, there are enough of them that they can't be dismissed out of hand.

The simplest advice is to recognize that the adverb awhile means 'for a short time', and then attempt to plug in the phrase "for a short time" in place of the questionable form. If that does not work, use a while: "We'll be there in for a short time"? No, so it has to be We'll be there in a while. "For a short time ago"? No, so it has to be A while ago. "We drove for a short time"? Yes, so it can be We drove awhile, and even though "a while" is possible here, the usual tendency is to use the adverb.