Tabular Difference Between While and Whilst
While | Whilst |
---|---|
Informal | Formal |
Parts of speech: conjunction, adverb, noun, verb | Parts of speech: conjunction, adverb |
Shorter and more concise | Longer and less concise |
Used in both American and British English | Considered more formal and used more commonly in British English |
More commonly used in modern English | Considered more archaic and not used as commonly in modern English |
Has a wider range of meanings and usages | Used in the same way as “while”, but less commonly |
Can be used to express contrast, concession, or simultaneity | Used in the same way as “while”, but with a slightly different connotation |
Example: “While I was sleeping, my phone rang.” | Example: “Whilst I agree with your opinion, I still think you should consider the other side.” |
Overall, both words have similar meanings and can be used interchangeably in most cases, although “whilst” is considered more formal and less commonly used in modern English.
While vs Whilst | Difference Between while and whilst
While and Whilst are both conjunctions that are used in the English language. They are used to connect ideas and clauses in a sentence. Although they have similar meanings and usages, there are slight differences in their usage and connotations in different varieties of English.