- Waiting:
- Definition: Waiting is the present participle conjugation of the verb “wait.” It means to delay in expectation of something happening.
- Usage:
- You might wait for a bus, or a puppy might wait for its owner to return with doggy biscuits.
- Example sentences:
- “I will wait here while you find a way to convince me that you are still interested in making our relationship work,” Tanya said to Cletus.
- “Time waits for no man,” goes the old proverb.
- Conjugations:
- I/we wait: first person singular and plural present
- You wait: second person singular and plural present
- He/she/it waits: third person singular present
- They wait: third person plural present
- Waiting: present participle
- Waited: simple past
- Awaiting:
- Definition: Await is another verb that means to delay in expectation of something happening. “Awaiting” is its present participle.
- Usage:
- Unlike “wait,” “await” requires an object. You must be awaiting something specific.
- Example sentences:
- “I await the exciting conclusion of the HBO series Game of Thrones in 2019.”
- “I await your payment,” said the bounty hunter as she dropped the head of her target at her client’s feet.
- Formality:
- “Awaiting” is more formal and less commonly used in everyday conversation than “waiting.”
- Use “await” for a more formal tone, such as in wedding invitations.
In summary, “waiting” is more general and can be used with or without an object, while “awaiting” implies anticipating something specific and requires an object.
