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3 Mar 2019 — Awhile

 

How would you edit this?

 

 

Taxi stopped in traffic

We've been here for awhile. The traffic hasn't moved. 

 

Read all options.
 

1.

No change.

We've been here for awhile. The traffic hasn't moved. 

2.

Change for awhile  to for a while.

We've been here for a while. The traffic hasn't moved.

 

GLOSSARY

a while – a period of time  (noun phrase). We'll be there in a while. (Note that this noun phase is the object of the preposition: in a while, for a while, after a while.)   All the while, he kept calling. (during that time)

awhile – for a short period of time (P), briefly (Adv), temporarily (Adv).  We'll be there awhile.  Let's rest awhile.  Prefix a- originates historically from on but now includes to, in, into, on.  See source below.

 

SOURCE

Huddleston, Rodney D. and Geoffrey K. Pullum. "Prepositions vs. Adverbs." 7 §2.4. The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge UP, 2002.

 

IMAGE

Taxi cabs stopped in traffic. Pixabay, 21 July 2013. pixabay.com/photos/taxi-road-traffic-cab-vehicles-381233/. Licensed by CC0. Accessed 2 Mar. 2019.