Let’s talk about words that have been confusing us with its similarity to other words, like Affect vs. Effect, Lay vs. Lie.

This time, let’s clear things up between Awhile vs. A While.

Yeah, those two have different meaning and usage. And yes, Awhile is a legit word, not a typo.

Awhile is an adverd with the meaning “for a short time.” ‘Sebentar/dalam waktu singkat.’

As for A While, it is a noun with the meaning “a length of time”. ‘Dalam kurun waktu tertentu’.

Awhile: Sebentar // A While: Agak lama. This is the most basic difference.

Let’s see the examples:

1. The dog waited awhile for the meal to be prepared.

2. The cat has been sleeping for a while when the owner shows up.

Another trick: As seen is Example No. 2, A While is used after a preposition (In, After, For).

Example: We got bored after a while.

Example: She will be there in a while.

A While is also used in the expression “It’s been a while …” (“Udah lama ya nggak …”).

Example: “It’s been a while since last time we met a cute dog like this.”

All images by @animenur

Compiled by @animenurp for @EnglishTips4U on Sunday, 25 January 2015