We can use as to introduce two events happening at the same time. After as, we can use a simple or continuous form of the verb. The continous form emphasises an action that interrupts or occurs during the progress of another action: Show
WhenWe can use when to introduce a single completed event that takes place in the middle of a longer activity or event. In these cases, we usually use a continuous verb in the main clause to describe the background event:
Depending on the context, when can mean ‘after’ or ‘at the same time’. Compare
when meaning ‘after’
when meaning ‘at the same time’ See also:
We often use just with when or as to express things happening at exactly the same time:
While and asWe can use while or as to talk about two longer events or activities happening at the same time. We can use either simple or continuous verb forms: When while is used in a sentence, it is usually being utilized as a conjunction. As such, it can have two different meanings. The first relates to time. In this instance, while describes an event taking place at the same time as another event. The second meaning indicates a juxtaposition or contrast. In these instances, while can be substituted with “although” and “whereas.” How to use while in a sentence when referring to timeYou do not use a comma before while when it was used in the temporal sense. Examples:Correct: The cat sat on the mat while the dog chewed on his toy. Correct: The train pulled into the station while we were buying tickets. How to use while in a sentence when referring to contrasting informationYou do use a comma before while when it used to create a contrast. Examples:Correct: I prefer soccer, while my brother prefers basketball. Correct: The price of everything has increased, while my wages haven’t changed. Starting a sentence with whileWhen you use while as the first word of a sentence, you do not need to put a comma before it; grammatical rules state that comma should be placed at the end of the clause introduced by while. Examples:Correct: While my sister enjoys horses, I prefer cows. Should I use a comma after whereas?You do not usually include a comma after whereas. The general rule of thumb is: contrasting information requires a comma. When using whereas in a sentence, you should use a comma before it. Examples:Correct: I like soccer, whereas my friend prefers basketball.The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)The Avengers (2012)One Day (2011)Love Actually (2003) Aneeca YounasHi! Mu name is Aneeca. I am a professional content writer, with over 13 years of experience in content writing. And I'm here to help you. Ten men, battalions, or divisions, fighting fifteen men, battalions, or divisions, conquer--that is, kill or take captive--all the others, while themselves losing four, so that on the one side four and on the other fifteen were lost. You’d be surprised to learn that there aren’t rules in English that tell us we can’t start sentences with particular words. This is a common myth in schools, but we can use just about any word in the right context. This article will look at starting a sentence with while. Can You Start A Sentence With “While”?You can start a sentence with “while” when it’s part of the first dependent clause. We can use this to talk about something that is happening at the same time as something else. It usually means that something happens despite another thing occurring. Generally, the two clauses that we use in sentences that start with “while” will contradict each other. They will add different groups of information to the overall sentence to help us understand what someone is doing or saying:
As you can see, we can use the first clause starting with “while” to come up with contradicting information before the second clause. Watch the video: Only 1 percent of ... Please enable JavaScript Watch the video: Only 1 percent of our visitors get these 3 grammar questions right...What Does “While” Mean At The Beginning Of A Sentence?“While” means that the first piece of information we provide in a sentence works in spite of the second piece of information. Usually, the two pieces of information will work against each other, even though they’re both valid and correct statements. We don’t just have to use “while” at the start of a sentence as part of a dependent clause, but it works well when we want to emphasize the contradiction. To show you what we mean, look at the two examples that follow:
These sentences are identical. However, the dependent clause is moved around between them. We can choose to use “while” at the start of the sentence, like in the first example, when we want to emphasize the contradicting information before anything else. Examples Of How To Use “While” At The Beginning Of A SentenceHere are some more examples to help you wrap your head around using “while” to start a sentence.
“While” introduces a dependent clause that works despite the second clause in the sentence. We use it to show who two conflicting pieces of information engage with each other. Even when they shouldn’t exist in the same sentence, “while” is a great way to show how two things with different means or results can work simultaneously. Where Should I Place The Comma When Using “While” At The Beginning Of A Sentence?Next, we’ll show you how to punctuate “while” correctly when using it to start a sentence. Luckily, the punctuation rules aren’t too difficult to master. You do not need to place a comma directly after “while” in any case when starting a sentence with it. Instead, you should wait until the end of the dependent clause and place the comma there. We do this to split up the two clauses. Here’s how it looks with and without a comma:
Can You Start A Sentence With “While Also”?“While” is a conjunction. “Also” is also a conjunction. We can use the words to combine two or more clauses, but we generally can’t include them at the same time when starting a sentence. You cannot start a sentence with “while also” because it uses two conjunctions in place of one. This is incorrect when starting a sentence because it’s not allowing us to showcase the point we’re trying to make. You can only use “while also” in the middle of a sentence, like so:
Alternatives To Starting A Sentence With “While”There are a few alternatives we can use in place of “while.” We think these are great sentence starters in their own right, and you should feel free to use them in your writing.
Can You End A Sentence With “While”?We can also end a sentence with “while,” but not in the same way. You can end a sentence with “while” when using it as a noun to talk about a length of time. It is not usable as a conjunction at the end of a sentence because it cannot connect two clauses if it comes before a period.
How Do You Use “While” In The Middle Of A Sentence?We can also use “while” in the middle of a sentence. The most common way to use “while” in the middle of a sentence is by swapping the position of the dependent clause we mentioned earlier. You may also use “while” as a noun in the middle of a sentence. How do you use while in a sentence?Example Sentences
The phone rang while I was doing the dishes. They met while they were in college. Can I get you anything while I'm at the store?
Can a paragraph start with during?Answer and Explanation: The word 'during' can be used at the beginning of a sentence. This word is a preposition and is often at the beginning of a prepositional phrase.
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