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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Past simple/continuous
What's the difference:
They met when they lived/were living in Paris.
The answer key in my grammar says: "lived".
How come? What's the catch? What's the difference?
They met when they lived/were living in Paris.
The answer key in my grammar says: "lived".
How come? What's the catch? What's the difference?
Top answer
Live is normally used in the simple past tense. The continuous were living implies that they lived in Paris temporarily for some reason. Without context, both lived and were living are of course correct as it is perfectly possible that both were living in Paris temporarily at the same time.
- Live is normally used in the simple past tense.
- The continuous were living implies that they lived in Paris temporarily for some reason.
- Without context, both lived and were living are of course correct as it is perfectly possible that both were living in Paris temporarily at the same time.
- CB
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2 Answers
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Live is normally used in the simple past tense. The continuous were living implies that they lived in Paris temporarily for some reason. Without context, both lived and were living are of course correct as it is perfectly possible that both were living in Paris temporarily at the same time.
CB
CB
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AnonymousWhat's the catch?I can only guess that the authors of the test insist upon while ... living and when ... lived, as both make perfect sense.
CJ
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