While vs. During

conjunctions of time during prepositions of time while

'While' and 'during' are similar in meaning but they are grammatically different. In this lesson, we will learn all about them.

"While" vs. "During" in the English grammar

What Is Their Main Difference?

The main difference between 'while' and 'during' is in their parts of speech. 'While' is a conjunction but 'during' is a preposition.

Parts of Speech

'While' is a conjunctive adverb. We use it to join two clauses together. 'During' is a preposition that is followed by a noun.

I studied while I was in summer break.

I studied hard during the summer.

While as a Noun

'While' can be used as a noun. Note that 'while' cannot be used alone. It is often accompanied by 'in a...,' 'once in a...,' and 'worth your....' In this case, 'while' is often used to indicate data related to time.

She will stay here for a while.

We can all be weird once in a while.

I couldn't get my hands on this volume in a long while.

Meaning

'While' and 'during' both mean the same thing. They show that two actions or events are happening at the same time. Watch:

While I was on vacation, I went to a lot of bars.

During my vacation, I went to a lot of bars.

Comments

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