When or while

Question

He came when/while I was playing. Which is right?Where should I use when and where should I use while?

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

While is used for long duration, when for short.

Both work in your sentence with a slight difference of implication in meaning.

Kooyeen · Answer

There are a lot of threads about this. Try searching, you'll find some good explanations.
Generally speaking, "while" is used when you want to consider an event as a an activity that goes on for some time, "when" is used when you want to consider an event as a point in time.
Unfortunately this is not an easy subject, however learners don't need to understand everything in order to make good sentences with "while" and "when"

CalifJim · Answer

When you have an activity in progress and some unrelated event interrupts that activity, the part of the sentence that expresses the activity in progress can be preceded by while, or the part that expresses the event can be preceded by when. So all of these are possible.

While I was playing with the children, he came home.
He came home while I was playing with the children.
When he came home, I was playing with the children.
I was playing with the children when he came home.

Just as an excercise, you may want to try to construct the same four patterns with each of these, and someone will check them for you. (I will check them myself if I'm still on-line!)

Marilyn was reading || The lights went out. [4 versions]
The lightening struck || We were at work. [4 versions]
Denny was driving to the zoo || The earthquake hit [4 versions]

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Can I attempt to construct the sentences?

The lights went out while Marilyn was reading.

While Marilyn was reading, the lights went out.

The lights went out when Marilyn was reading.

When Marilyn was reading, the lights went out.

We were at work while or when the lightnening struck.

While or When we were at work the lightening struck.

The earthquake hit while or when Danny was driving to the zoo.

While or when Danny was driving to the zoo, the earthquake hit.

How would you know whether to use when or while and which tense to use? this seem more confusing.

Was she smoking when she lived there?

Did she smoke when she lived there?

Did she smoke when she was living there?

She was living with us when we came over last time.

She lived with us when we came over last time.

thank you a lot

CalifJim · Answer

In the examples given, the pattern is to use

WHILE ... -ing, ... (NO -ing).

(NO -ing) ... WHILE ... -ing.

WHEN (NO -ing), ... -ing.

... -ing WHEN ... (NO -ing).

That is, in the subordinate while clause, use -ing; in the subordinate when clause, don't use -ing. Make the main clause with -ing if the subordinate doesn't have it; make the main clause without -ing if the subordinate clause does have it.

These are not the only patterns, but they are the most common.

This is the solution for the first one. In some cases only the order of the clauses changes, not their content.

The lights went out while Marilyn was reading.

While Marilyn was reading, the lights went out.

Marilyn was reading when the lights went out.

When the lights went out, Marilyn was reading.

______________

Did she smoke when she lived there?

You don't have one clause with something stative and the other with something dynamic, so the formulas above won't work. Both clauses are about habits in this smoking example.

She was living with us when we came over last time.< This one should work all four ways, but you'll have to drop last time in the versions with while.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

I asked the smoking sentence beceause i read it in this

the person says it is natural all 3 versions

and is 'i got there when she left' ok?

Anonymous · Answer

Teacher, would you tell me if to use while or when?

I only got home late last night when he was making food.

I only got home late last night while he was making food.

I wasn't there until late last night while he was making food

I wasn't there until late last night when he made food.

I wasn't there until late last night when he was making food

I didn't get there until late last night when he was making food.

Happy holidays

Anonymous · Answer

Hi sir,

May you take a few moment to look at this. I tried look at the above to see if I figured it out, can I give it try and you tell me what is ok?

I only got home late last night when he was making food. ok

I only got home late last night while he was making food. ok

I wasn't there until late last night while he was making food

I wasn't there until late last night when he made food.

I wasn't there until late last night when he was making food

I didn't get there until late last night when he was making food.

He plays well when he cries in the movie. ok

He plays well while he cries in the movie.

I'm liking him more and more as I see him.ok

I'm liking him more and more as I'm seeing him.

I like him more and more as I see him.ok

Where was he living when while he went to school?

Where was he living when while he was going to school?

Where did he live when while he went to school?ok ok

Where did he live when while he was going to school? ok while

The more you act as if I'm annoying you, the more I'll annoy you.ok

The more you act as if I annoy you, the more I'll annoy you.ok

I was hoping she'd be gone by then.ok

I hoped she'd be gone by then.ok

happy holiday

Anonymous · Answer

did the past participle come with when

When or while

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