while/when a time or time

[ROFTOK]

Do all of these make sense?

1 Pause while there is time.
2 Pause while there is a time.
3 Pause when there is time.
4 Pause when there is a time.

What's the difference between the correct ones?

 

[5jj]

#2 and #4 don't work.

Why don't you think about the differences between 'when' and 'while' and try to expain the difference in meaning between #1 and #3?

 

[ROFTOK]

I think I know it.
When means the pause should be made when the right time arrives.
While means that it should be made before the time has passed.

 

[5jj]

That shows that you do understand the difference.

 

[ROFTOK]

That shows that you do understand the difference.

Between WHEN and WHILE. The issue of "a time"/"time" is another matter.

 

[5jj]

You asked about the difference between the correct ones. We dealt with that.

 

[emsr2d2]

Sentences 2 and 4 are ungrammatical specifically because of the use of the indefinite article before "time". With its inclusion, neither sentence makes any sense.

 

[jutfrank]

I'm not sure what you're trying to say. I can only imagine you mean:

Pause while there's (still) time.

This could be said by someone to somebody who's doing something with a certain time constraint. The implication is that if you don't pause now, you won't get a chance to do so later. Is that what you mean?