student asking question

What is the difference between "waiting" and "awaiting"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Waiting" is a present participle conjunction of the verb wait and "await" is also a verb, both have the meaning of delay in expectation of something happening. While they are similar in terms of meaning they differ in usage. "Waiting" can be used without an object, like "I am waiting". However, "await" requires an object. In this case Joey is actually using "waiting" but he is using a dramatic pronunciation to emphasize his impatience. This is something you may hear in casual conversation with friends.

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