The Randall Sensei

During vs. While

The words “during” and “while” both indicate that something happens within a certain period of time, but they function differently in sentences.

1. “During”

• Part of speech: Preposition
• Usage: “During” is used to indicate when something happens, referring to a specific time period or event. It is always followed by a noun or noun phrase.

Examples:

• I read a book during lunch.
• She fell asleep during the meeting.

In these examples, “during” introduces the time period or event (e.g., lunch, meeting) within which something else happens.

2. “While”

• Part of speech: Subordinating conjunction
• Usage: “While” introduces a dependent clause that describes an action happening simultaneously with another action. It must be followed by a subject and a verb.

Examples:

• I read a book while I was eating lunch.
• She fell asleep while the meeting was going on.

In these examples, “while” introduces a clause with a subject and verb (e.g., “I was eating,” “the meeting was going on”) that describes the background action.

Key Differences:

• “During” is used with a noun or noun phrase and focuses on a period of time.
• “While” is used with a subject and verb and focuses on simultaneous actions.

More Examples:

• During: The power went out during the storm.
• While: The power went out while we were watching TV.