Can while be replaced with these expressions in the case?

Question

Hi,The child is living with foster parents while the mother is ill.Can I use 'meanwhile' instead of 'while' as in1)The mother is ill. The child, meanwhile, is living with foster parents.or2)The child is living with forster parents. Meanwhile the mother is ill. Which of the two avove is correct?Can I use 'at the same time' instead of 'while' as in1)The mother is ill. At the same time, the child is living with foster parents.or2)The child is living with foster parents. At the same time, the mother is ill. Which of the two is correct?Can I use 'simultaneously' instead of 'while' as in1)The mother is ill. Simultaneously, the child is living with foster parents.or2)The child is living with forster parents. Simultaneously, the mother is ill.Which of the two is correct?Thanks very much.

Avangi · Accepted Answer

1)The mother is ill. The child, meanwhile, is living with foster parents.  This is the only one that works for me, out of the whole lot.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

The child is living with foster parents while the mother is ill.

Can I use 'meanwhile' instead of 'while' as in

1)The mother is ill. The child, meanwhile, is living with foster parents.
or
2)The child is living with forster parents. Meanwhile the mother is ill.

Which of the two avove is correct? They are both OK. The 'meanwhile' suggests that the second part of the utterance is less important than the first part.

In your original sentence, the 'while the mother is ill' clause strongly implies that is the reason the child is living with foster parents. I don't feel the same strong sense of 'reason' in your versions with 'meanwhile'. To my mind, 'meanwhile' tends to suggest simply two concurrent situations.
Of course, 'because' instead of 'while' would make the resaon very explicit.

Can I use 'at the same time' instead of 'while' Yes, you can.
as in

1)The mother is ill. At the same time, the child is living with foster parents.
or
2)The child is living with foster parents. At the same time, the mother is ill.

Which of the two is correct? My comments are similar to those above.

Can I use 'simultaneously' instead of 'while' as in

1)The mother is ill. Simultaneously, the child is living with foster parents.
or
2)The child is living with foster parents. Simultaneously, the mother is ill.

Which of the two is correct? Again, the same comments. In addition, there's no huge reason why you couldn't say 'simultaneously', but it doesn't sound as natural as the other alternatives. I think 'simultaneously' usually refers more to two shorter events. eg Tom came in the front door and Mary went out the back door simultaneously.

Best wishes, Clive

Avangi · Answer

The child is living with foster parents while the mother is ill.

Sorry, Anon. I thought you wanted your examples to express this thought, including the thought that the illness of the mother is the reason for the living arrangement.

Anonymous · Answer

Hi Thank you Avangi and Clive very much for your clear answer.

Can while be replaced with these expressions in the case?

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