a while has gone by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a while has gone by" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a significant amount of time has passed since a particular event or moment. Example: "It's been a long time since we last met; a while has gone by since our last conversation."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

While hardly a Saturday night has gone by in many years in which I haven't done my best impression of capable dancing to one of her numerous hit singles, I wouldn't say I've ever pondered the wider cultural repercussions of "Rude Boy".

Huffington Post

Less than a minute had gone by.

The New Yorker

Two seconds later I woke up in another room surrounded by a different group of nurses — 90 minutes had gone by while I was out cold.

Los Angeles Times

While this specific milestone may have gone by without fireworks (but with a fair amount of articles and books), there have been vague rumblings of an X takeover in the zeitgeist.

Forbes

Even since then, weeks have gone by while we waited for them to get back to us.

The Guardian - Books

Nearly 30 years have gone by and while the basic facts of climate change were well known back then, scientific certainty about climate change has continued to be improved, refined and advanced.

Huffington Post

However, FX is only available to pay-TV subscribers with digital satellite, while Disney has gone for the free-to-air option by launching on Freeview and will have to rely on advertising revenue alone.

The Guardian

Since 2007, gas bills have risen by an average of 41% in real terms, while electricity has gone up by 20%, according to the Office for National Statistics.

BBC

A new report from the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program shows that since the beginning of 2010, manufacturing employment has increased by 5.2 percent in the Midwest, while it has gone up by only 2.2 percent in the South.

The New York Times

TV advertising dominates today, Nielsen noted earlier this week, but it has grown by just 3.5% so far this year while Internet has gone up by 26.3%.

TechCrunch

In the last year, violent crime in Britain has increased by 16percentt, while total crime has gone up nearly 4percentt.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a while has gone by" to indicate that a noticeable amount of time has passed, especially when emphasizing the impact of that time on a situation or feeling.

Common error

Avoid using "a while has gone by" in highly formal or academic writing. Opt for more precise and sophisticated alternatives like "a significant period has elapsed" for a more appropriate tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a while has gone by" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause by indicating the duration of time that has passed. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a while has gone by" is a grammatically sound and usable expression to indicate that a certain amount of time has passed. While considered correct, its register leans towards neutral and may not be ideal for highly formal contexts, as confirmed by Ludwig. Alternatives such as "some time has elapsed" or "a period of time has passed" might be more suitable in those situations. While the phrase is correct, it's rarely found in contemporary writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

some time has gone by

Simplifies the phrase by omitting "a", making it slightly less emphatic.

quite a bit of time has gone by

Emphasizes the amount of time that has passed.

some time has elapsed

Replaces "a while" with "some time" and uses the more formal "elapsed" instead of "gone by".

a considerable time has gone by

Adds emphasis on the length of time that has passed by using "considerable".

a good while has passed

Uses "good while" which is less formal than "considerable time" but still indicates a significant amount of time.

a period of time has passed

Substitutes "while" with "period of time" and "gone by" with "passed", offering a more descriptive alternative.

much time has passed since then

This alternative emphasizes the passing of time in relation to a previous point of reference.

time has marched on

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate the passage of time, suggesting inevitability.

time has flown

Indicates that time has passed quickly, often unexpectedly.

the years have slipped away

Employs a more poetic and evocative expression to convey the passage of time, often implying a sense of loss or nostalgia.

FAQs

What does "a while has gone by" mean?

The phrase "a while has gone by" means that a certain amount of time has passed since a particular event or situation. It suggests that the time elapsed is significant enough to have potentially caused changes or developments.

How can I use "a while has gone by" in a sentence?

You can use "a while has gone by" to emphasize the passage of time and its impact. For example, "A while has gone by since we last spoke, and things have changed considerably."

What can I say instead of "a while has gone by"?

You can use alternatives like "some time has elapsed", "a period of time has passed", or "time has flown depending on the context".

Is "a while has gone by" grammatically correct?

Yes, "a while has gone by" is grammatically correct. However, it's important to consider the register and choose a more formal alternative like "a significant period has elapsed" in formal writing.