* A while: A segment of time. Correct: "I left there a while ago." Also correct: "I was out of state for a while last year." * Awhile: The literal meaning is "for a while." Correct: "I was out of ...

I’m often astounded by the way people use “awhile” and “a while.” And, no, I’m not shocked by how badly they choose between these terms, but by how well. To understand when “a while” is preferable to ...

A letter comes to hand from Robert Kline in Chicago. "I am staying here for a while," he writes, "or on second thought, I may be staying awhile longer. Which is it? A while? Or awhile? One word or two ...