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ESL forum >
Ask for help > Help needed - grammar
Help needed - grammar
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modelena
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Help needed - grammar
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Hello dear colleagues and friends,
can you please help me with these doubts?
Which one is correct?
a) Mum was preparing dinner when I did my homework
b) Mum was preparing dinner while I did my homework
And what about these? Which one is correct?
a) While the teacher was speaking, the students were listening
b) While the teacher was speaking, the students listened.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Elena
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8 May 2013
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cagriyurttas
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dear my friend,
When we want to talk about two actions happening at the same time in the past you should use past continuous.
If the actıons are continuing at the same time you should write it like this;
Mum was preparing dinner while I was doing my homework for this sentence you can �t use WHEN.
and for your second question The first Choice is correct.
a) While the teacher was speaking, the students were listening.
because both of the actions are happening at the same time.
I hope I could help. |
8 May 2013
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Apodo
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b) while - because doing homework is an ongoing activity.
Sentence 2.
a) & b) are both correct, but the sentences would sound better if you added an adverb
a) While the teacher was speaking, the students were listening intently.
b) While the teacher was speaking, the students listened carefully. |
8 May 2013
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modelena
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Thank you, but I have still a problem with the first couple of sentences.
I agree that doing homework is an ongoing activity but my Text book shows the sentence with the past simple (I did my homework) and not with the past continuous (I was doing) and so what should I write in the blank: when or while?
Mum was preparing dinner ............. I did my homework
thank you
elena
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8 May 2013
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majdedu
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while both actions were happening at the same time and both are ongoing actions.
I think there is a typing mistake in your textbook
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8 May 2013
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Apodo
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As a native speaker I would use while because Mum �s activity is continuous and doing homework is also continuous despite the use of past simple.
But I can understand your problem with the sentence. Sometimes common usage doesn �t quite match the grammatical rules, making it difficult for English learners. I would avoid using examples where the answers are confusing. Does your Text Book give the answers?
Compare:
Mum was preparing dinner when the phone rang.
Mum �s activity is continuous but the phone is a sudden interruption.
BUT
Mum was preparing dinner while I watched TV. (When would sound completely wrong here because watching TV is a continuous activity.)
Mum was preparing dinner when I turned the TV on.
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8 May 2013
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yanogator
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Yes, Modelena, both Simple Past and Past Continuous are correct, so "while I did my homework" is not wrong at all, although I agree with the others that "while I was doing" describes the situation better. It �s really a matter of emphasis. If we want to emphasize the ongoing nature of doing the homework we use the continuous. otherwise, if it �s more a simple statement of fact, the Simple Past does the job just fine.
Bruce
Edit: I�ll add that the Simple Past option is only in the clause with "while", not in the other clause. |
8 May 2013
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