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Newguest Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
past simple/continuous
Hi
1. I was taking a shower when the telephone rang
2. I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing
Are both of them OK? Does the first one mean the the phone rang only once?
Thanks
1. I was taking a shower when the telephone rang
2. I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing
Are both of them OK? Does the first one mean the the phone rang only once?
Thanks
Top answer
I was taking a shower when the telephone rang. This means that during the time you were in the shower, the telephone began to ring. It does not say how long the phone rang, or how many times.
- I was taking a shower when the telephone rang.
- This means that during the time you were in the shower, the telephone began to ring.
- It does not say how long the phone rang, or how many times.
- This happens all the time!
- I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing.
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6 Answers
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I was taking a shower when the telephone rang.
This means that during the time you were in the shower, the telephone began to ring. It does not say how long the phone rang, or how many times. This happens all the time!
I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing.
This is harder to understand. It means that there were two continuous events that happened at the same
This means that during the time you were in the shower, the telephone began to ring. It does not say how long the phone rang, or how many times. This happens all the time!
I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing.
This is harder to understand. It means that there were two continuous events that happened at the same
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1. I was taking a shower when the telephone rang
2. I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing
Out of the 2 sentences with this context, only #1 is correct.
# 2 grammatically is correct but logically confusing.
It’s possible to have 2 past progressive events going on in a single context, but must be logical to the context. i.e.
2. I was taking a shower when the telephone was ringing
Out of the 2 sentences with this context, only #1 is correct.
# 2 grammatically is correct but logically confusing.
It’s possible to have 2 past progressive events going on in a single context, but must be logical to the context. i.e.
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Eight times out of ten, the pairing after was/were ---ing is
when + simple past (when the phone rang, when someone knocked on the door, when the curtains caught fire)
and
while + past continuous (while Helen was sewing, while Jack was eating, while they were watching TV)
that is,
when + (interrupting) event;
when + simple past (when the phone rang, when someone knocked on the door, when the curtains caught fire)
and
while + past continuous (while Helen was sewing, while Jack was eating, while they were watching TV)
that is,
when + (interrupting) event;
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As the boy (run) across the road, he (be knock) down by a car.
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