Distinguishing Between While & Whilst

While and whilst are both conjunctions used in the English language, and many people are often confused about which one to use or if they can be used interchangeably. This article will provide a closer look at these two words to help English language learners understand their usage.

While is a common word in the English language, primarily used as a conjunction to join two separate clauses in a sentence. However, it can also be used as a noun to describe a period of time. While has several synonyms, such as whilst, whereas, although, and though.

Key Takeaways

• Whilst is a synonym of while and has been used for quite some time in the English language.
• While is an older word than whilst, which is believed to have been introduced during Middle English.
• People in the US may consider whilst to be archaic, but it continues to be used in the UK as a more formal form of while.

Whilst is a word that has been used as a synonym for while in English for a long time. It is considered a Middle English word, while the term “while” is much older. Whilst is seen as archaic and is often used more by poets and novelists. However, it is still used by people, although some may consider it old-fashioned, much like “amongst” in place of “among” and “amidst” in place of “amid.” In formal writing, writers may prefer to use whilst over while. Ultimately, choosing between while and whilst comes down to personal preference, and using one instead of the other is not considered incorrect.

In summary, there is no significant difference between while and whilst, as both are synonymous. While is an older word than whilst, with the latter being introduced during Middle English. People in the US may consider whilst to be archaic, but it continues to be used in the UK as a more formal form of while.