More Bang for Your Buck

Snap, crackle and pop

Copier, scanner and printer

Tall, dark and handsome

If you like these three-in-one deals, have I got a word for you:

Awhile

Awhile is actually these three words: for a while.

So, we can either write:

I listened to my Rice Krispies speak for a while before eating them.

Or use the more economical version:

I listened to my Rice Krispies speak awhile before eating them.

But we can’t write:

I listened to my Rice Krispies speak for awhile before eating them.

If we did, we would actually be saying:

I listened to my Rice Krispies speak for for a while before eating them.

We also can’t use awhile when we don’t mean for a while. For example, this is wrong:

It’s taking quite awhile to scan this image of tall, dark and handsome.

Because it doesn’t make sense to say:

It’s taking quite for a while to scan this image of tall, dark and handsome.

So we would have to write:

It’s taking quite a while to scan this image of tall, dark and handsome.

But, when it is scanned, I am going to print it out, make several copies of it, pin the copies all over my wall and stare at them awhile. And I mean AWHILE.

References:

The Grammar Curmedgeon. "Awhile/A while."

http://www.grammarmudge.cityslide.com/articles/article/992333/8557.htm>.