When vs. while

Question

Hi!Would you please take a look at the following four sentences?S1. When the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we need to contact her by email. (RIGHT/WRONG)S2. While the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we need to contact her by email. (RIGHT/WRONG)S3. When the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we can contact her only by email. (RIGHT/WRONG)S4. While the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we can contact her only by email. (RIGHT/WRONG)Would please decide whether they are right or wrong?At least, I think S3 is RIGHT and S4 is WRONG.I referred to the following:"Do I have to pay my salaried employee his regular weekly pay when he is on vacation?" ((http://community.intuit.com/posts/do-i-have-to-pay-my-salaried-employee-his-regular-weekly-pay-when-he-is-on-vacation ))"What do you do if you think your boyfriend is cheating on you when he is on vacation?" ((http://www.chacha.com/question/what-do-you-do-if-you-think-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you-when-he-is-on-vacation ))"Williams rose to new levels of popularity for his live spot reporting during and after the 2005 Hurricane season. Lester Holt, Ann Curry and Kate Snow often substitute for Williams when he is on vacation or on assignment, with other substitute anchors include David Gregory, Harry Smith, Carl Quintanilla, Hoda Kotb, Natalie Morales, and Amy Robach." ((http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBC_Nightly_News ))"Pick and choose your indulgences rather than just having a "what the heck" attitude at every meal and saying "Well, I'm on vacation anyway, I will start clean when I return." Even when I am on vacation, I try to get some sort of exercise in. When we went to Florida last year everyone told me that I would do so much walking that I wouldn't gain any weight. Yeah, right! Have you seen me eat?" ((http://www.doctoroz.com/blog/ed-and-terri-masak/when-you-are-vacation ))What do yo think? Am I right?Thanks in advance.

Valicore · Accepted Answer

NiueHi!I read the following in a TOEIC book:

"Q. ______ the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we need to contact her by email.

(A) When(B) While

(Answer: B)"

Do you agree with the above that B is correct?

Here is the rule for that applies in this case for when/while:

"While introduces an activity that occurs during or at the same time as another activity. A progressive verb form is commonly used (longer duration). The while-clause can also indicate that a background activity is going on while the other activity occurs."

"When introduces an activity that 1) is a short interruption, 2) occurs at nearly the same time or shortly after another activity. A nonprogressive verb form is commonly used (short duration)."

"While" is being used to say "during this period in which the CFO's personal secretary is on vacation, we need (at the same time as she is on vacation) to contact her by e-mail."

It also feels more specific to me to use "while," it is talking about this specific instance of the CFO's secretary being on vacation.

Dimsumexpress · Answer

"Q. __B____ the CFO’s personal secretary is on vacation, we need to contact her by email.

(A) When
(B) While

(Answer: B)"

There are no clean-cut methods to tell when to use "when" or while".

"Do I have to pay my salaried employee his regular weekly pay when he is on vacation?" ((http://community.intuit.com/posts/do-i-have-to-pay-my-salaried-employee-his-regular-weekly-pay-when-he-is-on-vacation ))

"What do you do if you think your boyfriend is cheating on you when he is on vacation?" ((http://www.chacha.com/question/what-do-you-do-if-you-think-your-boyfriend-is-cheating-on-you-when-he-is-on-vacation ))

There are contexts which can use either answer. But the two above need to be "while" because it means "during".

i.e. Sally will attend the morning for you while you are gone (on vacation). When you come back, You are going to fill Sally's job [when she is ready for labor] / while she is on maternity leave.

When vs. while

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