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Whereas vs While – Grammar Shorts
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Both whereas and while can often be used interchangeably, but this is not always true. In this lesson, you will learn to distinguish and use these two words correctly.
Whereas
To indicate contrast
Whereas is a conjunction that we use to indicate contrast between two ideas. Whereas can appear at the beginning of a sentence, but it is usually used in the middle, after a coma. After whereas, we use a full clause (with subject + verb).
- The climate in the north is temperate, whereas in the south it is tropical.
- Whereas the former specimen was toxic, the latter was not.
While
To indicate contrast
While can also be used to express contrast, similar to whereas. However, while is less formal than whereas, making it more suitable for everyday conversation and informal writing. In contrast, whereas is often preferred in formal or academic contexts.
- While Tom’s eyes are blue, his sister’s are brown.
- Mary likes coffee, while John prefers tea.
To indicate time
While can also be used to indicate time, specifically to describe actions or activities that occur simultaneously. If one action happens while another is occurring, it means the two actions are happening at the same time. While can be placed at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence, and it is followed by a clause with subject + verb.
- I often watch television while I eat dinner.
- While I was driving, it started to snow.
As a noun
While is also a noun that we use to indicate a period of time, when the exact length of time is not important or not stated.
- I’ll be back in a while.
- I haven’t seen him in a while.
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