Distinguishing Between During & While

During vs While

During and while often pose a problem for those who do not understand them well, as they are both frequently used in the English language to describe an activity taking place while another is happening. However, there is a proper way of usage for these words that should be followed.

What does During mean?

During is a preposition that connotes a specific period, as in during summers or during the World Cup. According to the Oxford English dictionary, during carries the meaning “throughout the course or duration of (a period of time).” This definition shows that during can be used only for a specific purpose. The word during has its origin in Late Middle English.

What does While mean?

While is used only when it is followed by a clause and the word while itself follows a noun, for example, “I was writing while I was in the class.” One should not forget that while is a conjunction. The use of the word while in a sentence becomes confusing only when it is used in a sentence as a conjunction. Now, other than being used as a conjunction, the word while is also used as a noun, verb, adverb, and preposition. However, using while as a preposition is done when it is used in Northern English.

What is the difference between During and While?

• Both during and while represent two things happening at the same time, but during is a preposition and while is a conjunction.
• While is followed by a sentence or a clause. On the other hand, during is followed by a noun.
• Verb and subject follow while. In the case of during, it is the other event taking place that is described.

Key Takeaways

• During is a preposition used for a specific purpose, while is a conjunction that can also be used as a noun, verb, adverb, and preposition.
• During is followed by a noun, whereas while is followed by a sentence or a clause.
• During and while both represent two things happening simultaneously, but they cannot be used interchangeably without making suitable changes in the sentence structure.