While means “during the time that”; when it compares two facts, it also means “whereas”. In the first meaning, it links two actions that happen at the same time: I fell asleep while I was watching the film. In the second, it contrasts two facts in one sentence, and essays and graph descriptions use it this way very often: Prices rose in the north, while they fell in the south.
How would you use while?
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while + clause (= during the time that); while + -ing; clause, while + clause (= whereas); While + clause, + clause (= although)
- Could you feed my cat while I'm away on a business trip next week?
- In 2010 most people paid in cash, while by 2020 cards had become far more popular.
- My older sister loves big noisy parties, while I'd rather meet one friend for coffee.
What changed
First versionI'll read your report while I'll be on the train tomorrow.
RevisionI'll read your report while I'm on the train tomorrow.
The whole sentence is about tomorrow, so it seems logical to use will after while as well. But when while means “during the time that” and refers to the future, it is followed by the present tense, just like when and until. Only I'll be was changed to I'm: tomorrow and the first part of the sentence already show that this is about the future.
At the start of a sentence, while often means “although”: you agree with part of an idea before arguing against it. While online shopping is convenient, it has hurt many small shops. An opening like this works well in the introduction of an essay. In its time meaning, don't confuse while with during: during is followed by a noun (during the flight), while is followed by an action with a verb (while we were flying).
Your turn
Someone stole my wallet ___ I was waiting for the bus outside the station.
Show the answer
while — The theft and the wait for the bus happened at the same time, so you need the meaning “during the time that”. Only while has this meaning. Whereas is sometimes explained as “while”, but it only contrasts two facts and says nothing about time.
Compare your weekdays and your weekends. In one sentence with while, say what you do on a weekday morning and what you do on a weekend morning.
On weekdays I leave home at seven and grab a coffee on the way, while at weekends I stay in bed until ten.
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