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 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 ...

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 ...

We have aproblem, people. Of this, I am appositive. Rampant confusion over awhile/a while, alot/a lot/allot, alright/all right and already/all ready has left me apoplectic. My issues with errant a's ...

In the summer of 1999, columnist David Broder speculated on what the future might hold for retiring Rep. John Kasich of Ohio. "He could step out into the private or nonprofit sector for a while." Last ...