a while has passed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a while has passed" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that a significant amount of time has elapsed since a particular event or moment. Example: "Since we last spoke, a while has passed, and I hope you are doing well."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

While Britain has passed a law authorizing a similar crackdown on digital piracy, other E.U. members have been more circumspect.

The New York Times - Tech

While a year has passed and the system appears to have stabilized, we cannot relent in our mission to vigorously address weaknesses and gaps in our regulatory structure.

Harvard University

But while Concorde has passed into history, the dream of supersonic travel is alive and well.

The Economist

While Massachusetts has passed legislation that requires businesses that produce over 1 ton of organic waste a week to compost, there is no enforcement of this law.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

While time has passed and we have all moved on, I know that my brothers in Charlie Troop are always a phone call away.

The New York Times

Bragg's previous best was also achieved against Leicestershire at Colwyn Bay, while he has passed 50 on 26 further occasions.

BBC

North American box office in February stands at about $430 million, while China has passed $630 million.

Los Angeles Times

Their understanding of the outside is off kilter because time has stood still for them on the inside while time has passed on the outside.

Vice

While Congress has passed laws that support, for example, green jobs or energy independence, it has never passed a law solely dedicated to mitigating or adapting to climate change.

Huffington Post

And while history has passed along Paul's letter to Priscilla of Ephesus, we do not have Priscilla's letters to Paul.

Huffington Post

While Turkey has passed promising legislation to tackle the issue and protect women, survivors and rights groups say there is little enforcement of the laws.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a while has passed" to indicate a general passage of time when the exact duration is not important or unknown. For example, "A while has passed since we last spoke, and I wanted to check in."

Common error

Avoid using the phrase in contexts where the past perfect tense is more appropriate. For example, instead of "A while has passed since I saw him", consider "A while had passed since I had seen him" if emphasizing the earlier time.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a while has passed" functions as an adverbial phrase indicating the lapse of time. Given that Ludwig does not provide any examples, its grammatical correctness does not guarantee frequent usage.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a while has passed" is a grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that some time has elapsed. According to Ludwig, it can be effectively employed to create a temporal context, though no examples were found. Alternative phrases like "some time has elapsed" may be more suitable in formal settings. While versatile, it's essential to ensure correct tense usage and to consider more descriptive alternatives for increased precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Sometime has passed

Omits article 'a' thus making sentence less formal.

Some time has elapsed

Replaces "a while" with "some time" and uses the more formal verb "elapsed".

A period of time has gone by

Substitutes "has passed" with "has gone by" and uses "a period of time" instead of "a while".

A span of time has gone by

Replaces "while" with "span" to indicate an interval.

A considerable time has passed

Adds emphasis by specifying that a "considerable" amount of time has passed.

A good amount of time has passed

Similar to the above, but uses "good amount" to quantify the time.

Time has marched on

Uses a metaphorical expression to indicate the passage of time.

Time slipped away

Emphasizes that time passed quickly or unnoticed.

The years have rolled on

Implies a longer period has passed using 'years' instead of 'a while'.

We're not in Kansas anymore

Informal way to imply that time has passed and things have changed in general, without exact semantic equivalence

FAQs

How can I use "a while has passed" in a sentence?

You can use "a while has passed" to indicate that some time has elapsed since a particular event or action. For example, "A while has passed since our last meeting, so let's catch up."

What's a more formal way to say "a while has passed"?

For a more formal alternative, you could say "some time has elapsed". This sounds more sophisticated and is suitable for professional contexts.

Is it correct to say "a while went by" instead of "a while has passed"?

Yes, "a while went by" is grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning to "a while has passed". However, "a while has passed" emphasizes the current state after the time has elapsed.

What's the difference between "a while has passed" and "some time has passed"?

The phrases are very similar. "Some time has passed" might imply a slightly longer or more significant duration than "a while has passed", but they are largely interchangeable.