I was watching TV when my mother came home.

Question

I'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance.

Are the following 2 sentences the same in meaning? If not, what's the difference?

A: I was watching TV when my mother came home.

B: When I was watching TV, my mother came home.

I think in both sentences, the theme is "my watching T V" and the focus is on "my mother coming home" in both sentences, so both are the same. Am I correct?

Yoong Liat · Accepted Answer

Yes, they are essentially the same in meaning.

Kooyeen · Answer

Hi,
this is a complex subject. Try searching the forum for "when" and "while", there are several similar threads.
I can only say that I wouldn't say B... unless I found a right context, but I guess it would be an unusual one.

PS: I didn't see Yoong's post. Hmm, I guess we don't agree then.

Anonymous · Answer

AnonymousI'd be happy if someone would answer my question. Thanks in advance.

Are the following 2 sentences the same in meaning? If not, what's the difference?

A: I was watching TV when my mother came home. -focuing on what you were doing when your mother came home.

B: When I was watching TV, my mother came home.-This has a wierd sound to it. "when" suggests the sentence has two events taking place with one already happended as something coming onto the scene. You can say "I was about to leave when Mary arrived". But it sounds stranges when you say "When I was about to leave, Mary arrived", although grammatically correct.

I think in both sentences, the theme is "my watching T V" and the focus is on "my mother coming home" in both sentences, so both are the same. Am I correct?

Opinions:

A: I was watching TV when my mother came home. -focuing and describing what you were doing when your mother came home. Normal case is X is in progress during which Y happens.

B: When I was watching TV, my mother came home.-This has a wierd sound to it. "when" always suggests two events taking place with one already happended as something coming onto the scene. You can say "I was leaving when Mary arrived". This says your leaving was in proggress as Mary showed up. But it sounds stranges when you say "When I was leaving, Mary arrived", although grammatically correct. In this case, the "when" is applied on the event in progress versus the shorter event which was Mary's arrival. Consider: " I was sleeping when the fire broke out" vs. When I was sleeping ,the fire broke out".

Does it make sense?

BarbaraPA · Answer

If someone asked "What were you doing when your mother came home?" you would answer A.

If someone asked "What happened while you were watching TV?" you would answer B.

Both sentences convey the same factual information. B would be okay with "while" instead of "when."

Kooyeen · Answer

Grammar GeekIf someone asked "What happened while you were watching TV?" you would answer B.

Both sentences convey the same factual information. B would be okay with "while" instead of "when."

Hi GG,
I don't understand. You said B is ok and is also not ok, lol. I also think B would be ok with "while", but I said I would not use it the way it was originally written. You meant to say this?

Cool Breeze · Answer

Grammar GeekIf someone asked "What were you doing when your mother came home?" you would answer A.

If someone asked "What happened while you were watching TV?" you would answer B.

Both sentences convey the same factual information. B would [also] be okay with "while" instead of "when."

I agree with GG.

CB

BarbaraPA · Answer

Thank you for adding the also. It's what I meant.

Kooyeen · Answer

Ah, then it's ok both ways, with "when" and with "while". Very interesting. Thanks <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

BarbaraPA · Answer

I'd say that generally, you can use "when" instead of while when for an activity that has a longer duration, but never use "while" for an activity that has a momentary duration.

CalifJim · Answer

They may both be OK, but I much prefer while I was watching to when I was watching. The latter seems odd to my ear.

CJ

I was watching TV when my mother came home.

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