whilst

whilst — conjunction

1. used to say that two actions or events happen together in time

1.連接詞B1
釋義

used to say that two actions or events happen together in time

例句

Folake listened to music whilst she waited for the train to arrive.

whilst + clause describing simultaneous actions

Bilal dropped his keys whilst trying to unlock the front door in the dark.

whilst + present participle (same subject)

同義詞
  • while

    same meaning but far more common in everyday speech; 'whilst' sounds more formal

  • as

    also expresses simultaneity but often implies a closer or causal connection between the two events

文法句型

whilst + clause

whilst + present participle

whilst + prepositional phrase

用法筆記

Commonly used with a present participle when the subject of both clauses is the same: 'whilst walking home' instead of 'whilst she was walking home'. In American English, 'while' is strongly preferred over 'whilst'.

常見錯誤

❌He ate dinner whilst to watch TV.
✅He ate dinner whilst watching TV.
💡'whilst' must be followed by a clause or a participle, not an infinitive.
❌Whilst I am loving this song.
✅Whilst I love this song.
💡Whilst (like while) typically takes stative verbs, not continuous forms with stative meanings.

2. used to introduce a fact that makes the main part of the sentence seem surprisin

2.連接詞B2
釋義

used to introduce a fact that makes the main part of the sentence seem surprising or unexpected

例句

Whilst the hotel was expensive, the service was surprisingly poor.

whilst + clause expressing concession (surprising contrast)

Ayesha decided to take the job, whilst she had serious doubts about the salary.

同義詞
  • although

    the most common alternative in both speech and writing; slightly less formal than 'whilst'

  • even though

    stronger emphasis on the surprising contrast; more common in speech than 'whilst'

  • though

    less formal; can also appear at the end of a sentence, which 'whilst' cannot

文法句型

whilst + clause (concessive)

用法筆記

In this concessive sense, 'whilst' can usually be replaced by 'although' or 'even though'. 'Even though' adds stronger emphasis on the surprising nature of the contrast.

常見錯誤

❌Whilst it was raining, I took an umbrella.
✅Although it was raining, I went for a walk.
💡The first sentence has no element of surprise; 'whilst/although' is only needed when the second clause contradicts what the first clause would lead you to expect.

3. used to connect two statements that express opposite or different ideas, emphasi

3.連接詞B2
釋義

used to connect two statements that express opposite or different ideas, emphasising the difference between them

例句

Rafael prefers action films, whilst his sister enjoys romantic comedies.

whilst contrasting two people's preferences

House prices in cities keep rising, whilst rural demand has dropped sharply.

同義詞
  • whereas

    slightly more formal than 'whilst' and used almost exclusively for contrast, never for time or concession

  • but

    the most common and neutral alternative; less formal and shorter than 'whilst'

文法句型

clause + whilst + clause (contrast)

whilst + clause, + clause (contrast)

用法筆記

This sense is very close to 'whereas'. Both are formal, and both contrast two parallel facts. The difference is that 'whilst' can also express time or concession (senses 1 and 2), so readers rely on context to tell them apart.

常見錯誤

❌I like tea whilst my friend likes coffee.
✅I like tea, whilst my friend likes coffee.
💡A comma before 'whilst' is standard when joining two independent clauses in the contrastive sense.