Hi this is Tutor Nick P and this is Lesson 288. Today we're going to look at
the difference between a while, two words and awhile
one word. Okay. Let's take a look at the note here. The term awhile as a single
word is an adverb and it means for a time. iI cannot be used after prepositions
such as for, in, after, etc. It usually directly follows a verb. Okay. So let's
look at some of the examples here. He, he rested for awhile. . Okay. Here this would
be wrong to use awhile as a single word here because it as a single word is a
preposition. So it cannot follow for. So again this would be correct with the
check. You say he rested awhile. Just that's it.
Just awhile no' for' no ;in' no ' after. " None of that. So it's a it's an adverb. It
directly modifies the verb. Okay. All right. Let's continue. No the second one here. He
rested for ten minutes. Yeah. It's just another way to show, you know, This , this
period of time that he rested. Okay. Let's continue. The term a while as two words
is a noun phrase. In this sense, use 'a' with a while. So it has to go with a
while in order to be the noun phrase. As a noun phrase, a while can follow
prepositions. So again this is, this is another mistake that we're probably
going to notice more in writing. Because when you speak it it sounds exactly the same.
Awhile as one word and a while as two words is spoken so fast that you can't
tell the difference in speech. You're mostly going to see this in writing. Okay.
Let's continue. So again with the X . This is wrong. He will return in a while. So
you're using in it's a preposition so you cannot be using the adverb which is
a single word here. So of course, with the check, this is
correct. He will return in a while. A while here is two words. It is the noun phrase.
Okay. let's continue. He will return after a while. Again the same thing.' After' is
still a preposition. So awhile, as a single word is not correct here. It's an
adverb. Okay and let's read the last one. With the check this is correct. He will
return after a while two words again. It's the noun phrase. Okay. Anyway, I hope it's
clear. Because this is a common mistake, especially found in writing. Well, I hope it's
clear. I hope it was informative. Thank you for your time. Bye-bye.