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Anonymous Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Tenses

Hello! What tense should I use:
They were dancing when I came
or
They had been dancing when I came.
Can you write some situations for both examples?
Thanks!
  

Top answer

They were dancing when I came It was happening when I arrived. or They had been dancing when I came. It ended before I arrived.

— Clive

  • They were dancing when I came It was happening when I arrived.
  • or They had been dancing when I came.
  • It ended before I arrived.
  • Clive
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5 Answers
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They were dancing when I came It was happening when I arrived.
or
They had been dancing when I came. It ended before I arrived.

Clive
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Why is it when then and not before? I mean how do I know that they had been dancing if when I came they weren't?
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MrWonderful I mean how do I know that they had been dancing if when I came they weren't?
Perhaps they told me.
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Doesn't when mean at the moment. If they had stopped before I came why isn't it before?
I guess it may be: They had been dancing for an hour when I came. In this case when is appropriate,considering I interrupted them.
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By adding 'for an hour', you have changed your original example.
They had been dancing when I came. It ended before I arrived.
They had been dancing for an hour when I came. It sounds like it was still happening.

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