Grammar · Prepositions
During, For & While
Three small time words with three different jobs. Learn which one to use with the film Dunkirk.
Grammar › Prepositions › During, For & While
The rule in one sentenceUse during + a noun and while + a subject and verb to say when; use for + a length of time to say how long.
About the film
Dunkirk is a war film from 2017, set in France during the Second World War. Thousands of British and French soldiers are stuck on a beach for days, waiting for ships to take them home. While they wait, small boats from England start to cross the sea to help them.
What does it do?
All three words talk about time, but they answer different questions. During and while answer “when?”. For answers “how long?”.
The big difference between during and while is what comes next. After during, you need a noun, like the war or the night. After while, you need a person or thing and a verb, like the soldiers wait.
Look at the words after each time word. The day is a noun. The others wait has a subject and a verb. Hours and one hour are lengths of time.
Now for. It measures time. It usually comes before a number or a length of time: for two hours, for a week, for a long time.
The film tells three stories. One happens on the beach for a week, one at sea for a day, and one in the air for an hour.
Each story has a different length: a week, a day, an hour. “For” tells us how long each one lasts.
Visual guide
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How to make it
during — followed by a noun
The soldiers hide during the attack.
Nobody sleeps much during the night.
The sentence is negative, but “during” does not change.What happens during the journey?
while — followed by a subject and a verb
Peter helps his father while they sail.
The men don’t talk while they are waiting.
“While” often goes with the -ing form: are waiting.What does Tommy do while the ships are away?
When to use each one
during — inside a period
while — two things at once
Words that help: when or how long?
Look at the words that come next. They tell you which time word you need.
during → a noun comes next
while → a subject and a verb come next
for → a length of time comes next
Common mistakes
❌ The soldiers waited on the beach during three days.
✅ The soldiers waited on the beach for three days.
A number of days tells us how long, so use “for”.
❌ The planes came while the morning.
✅ The planes came during the morning.
“The morning” is only a noun. There is no verb, so use “during”.
❌ Peter made tea during they were sailing.
✅ Peter made tea while they were sailing.
“They were sailing” has a subject and a verb, so use “while”.
❌ One soldier fell asleep during waiting for the ship.
✅ One soldier fell asleep while waiting for the ship.
Don’t put an -ing verb after “during”. Use “while” instead.
One more thing
This part is a little harder. You can come back to it later.
“During” or “for” with a period? Sometimes both are possible, but the meaning changes. For means the whole time, from start to end. During can mean just one moment inside it.
✅ It rained for the whole night. (all night, without stopping)
✅ It rained during the night. (at some time in the night)
Practice: choose the right word
Eight questions. Choose one word. You get the answer, and why.
1. The soldiers waited on the beach ___ many days.
“Many days” tells us how long → for.
2. The story takes place ___ the Second World War.
“The Second World War” is a noun → during.
3. Peter helps his father ___ they sail to France.
“They sail” has a subject and a verb → while.
4. The pilot is in the air ___ one hour.
“One hour” is a length of time → for.
5. Nobody slept much ___ the night.
“The night” is a noun → during.
6. A plane flew over ___ the men were eating.
“The men were eating” has a subject and a verb → while.
7. One soldier fell asleep ___ waiting for a ship.
Use “while”, not “during”, before an -ing verb.
8. The film is quite short. It runs ___ less than two hours.
A length of time → for.
Your turn
Choose one ending. Then listen to your sentence.
Every sentence here is correct. Pick the one that is true for you. Say it out loud too!
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