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Cloudpixie Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Awhile or a while?

Hello,

Could you please tell me if I should use awhile as an adverb or a while in this sentence?

As the doctor came out of the chamber, his confident attitude and slightly graying hair made her believe he'd been doing this awhile/ a while.

  

Top answer

Strictly speaking it should be "awhile". However, "a while" is commonly used adverbially in cases such as this, and, to me, it does not look glaringly wrong. Opinions may vary.

— GPY

  • Strictly speaking it should be "awhile".
  • However, "a while" is commonly used adverbially in cases such as this, and, to me, it does not look glaringly wrong.
  • Opinions may vary.
  • g.
  • "stay for awhile".
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1 Answers
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Strictly speaking it should be "awhile". However, "a while" is commonly used adverbially in cases such as this, and, to me, it does not look glaringly wrong. Opinions may vary. See also this graph:

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