conjunctions of time

Question

1. ---- I was studying architecture at Harvard, one of my professors told me that I was limiting my possibilities by only designing golf courses, but with job opportunities coming along all the time, I made the right decision.

A) Once B) When C) Until D) While E) Before

Which one/ones is/are possible alternatives?

Danyoo · Accepted Answer

When is the best choice.

Some people might argue While also works here...but by far the best choice is When.

Diamondrg · Answer

DanyooWhen is the best choice.

Some people might argue While also works here...but by far the best choice is When.

Will it be fair to ask on a test to contrast "when" with "while"?

Diamondrg · Answer

2. ''Thirty years ago ---- I was studying in the workshop of London College of Furniture, I worked with a carver who restored a table by the same maker as the eagle,'' he said.

A) Once B) When C) Until D) While E) Before

3. My first visit to Xochimilco was in 1948, ---- I was studying at the National University on the G.I. Bill.

A) Once B) When C) Until D) While E) Before

Danyoo · Answer

DiamondrgWill it be fair to ask on a test to contrast "when" with "while"?

I'd suppose so...but I can't really put down in words how they are different/similar grammatically. I just know when to use the proper one.

Maybe the grammar experts here can comment.

Teo · Answer

Regarding "when I was studying" vs. "while I was studying" (in the context shown):

Believe it or not, "when" and "while" actually change the meaning of "studying".
"when ... studying ..." means "during the period of time when I was attending school", "back in the days of going to school".
"while ... studying ..." means "during the period of time when I was physically sitting at a desk or table, looking through books, documents, etc., to learn from them".

Compare:

When I was studying astronomy at the University of Timbuktu, quasars had not yet been discovered.

While I was studying astronomy last night, an eclipse of the moon was going on outside my window.

"while" in the first sentence or "when" in the second would be poorer choices.

CJ

Danyoo · Answer

Diamondrg2. ''Thirty years ago ---- I was studying in the workshop of London College of Furniture, I worked with a carver who restored a table by the same maker as the eagle,'' he said.

A) Once B) When C) Until D) While E) Before

3. My first visit to Xochimilco was in 1948, ---- I was studying at the National University on the G.I. Bill.

A) Once B) When C) Until D) While E) Before

In both cases here, the correct answer is D) while...but again I really can't explain it other than to say while sounds right.

While I was attending London college, I also worked with a carver...that's what it means.

My first visit to Xochimilco came while I was still a student at the National U.

Take a look at CJ's explanation that Teo posted...and if you still have questions, write back.

CalifJim · Answer

1. ---- I was studying architecture at Harvard, one of my professors told me that I was limiting my possibilities by only designing golf courses, but with job opportunities coming along all the time, I made the right decision.

2. ''Thirty years ago ---- I was studying in the workshop of London College of Furniture, I worked with a carver who restored a table by the same maker as the eagle,'' he said.

3. My first visit to Xochimilco was in 1948, ---- I was studying at the National University on the G.I. Bill.

I would use "when" with all of these, for reasons already mentioned in several previous posts.

Will it be fair to ask on a test to contrast "when" with "while"?

I would say "Yes", provided you have discussed the principles thoroughly in class and allowed the students to practice with many examples. I would not attempt this with beginners, however. This is an advanced topic involving the subtleties of aspect and coercion in English. ("coercion" is the phenomenon of forcing a certain aspect on a verb which is not necessarily natural to it by the use of grammatical devices such as the continuous tenses and/or various adverbials of time.)

CJ

Danyoo · Answer

CJ,

Thirty years ago ---- I was studying in the workshop of London College of Furniture, I worked with a carver who restored a table by the same maker as the eagle.

What if it means during the whole time he was studying at the London college, he held a part time job with the carver? Could 'while' possibly work?

CalifJim · Answer

The scenario you describe was the way I read it (as opposed to a reading in which something like "one day" is assumed -- "One day (thirty years ago) while I was studying in the workshop, ...").

In all three examples, "while" is borderline acceptable in my opinion, but the usual choice is to use "when" when a whole block of time is under consideration, such as the time it takes to follow an entire curriculum of study at a school, college, or university.

But now as I read your question again, I think I understand better the reading you are taking. You are reading it as a block of time that is occupied by (approximately) parallel activities. The studying at London college and the working with the carver proceed in parallel for approximately the same amount of time in this reading. If that's the reading you are taking, then yes, I can understand that "while" would be a logical choice.

In the other two cases, however, the aspect of the main clause is punctual ("told") or is conceived of as punctual (a visit in 1948), so any argument for the kind of reading proposed above for the carver is not as convincing. Hence, "while" is even less likely in those sentences.

CJ

Diamondrg · Answer

thank you.

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