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Hans51 Posted 6 years ago
Grammar

When / while he slept / was sleeping

I took a picture of Tom when he slept.

I took a picture of Tom while he was sleeping.

Could you tell me the slight meaning difference between them if there is?

Thank you so much as usual in advance.

  

Top answer

Hans51 I took a picture of Tom when he slept. This doesn't strike me as idiomatic. I would take it to mean "while he slept".

— CalifJim

  • Hans51 I took a picture of Tom when he slept.
  • This doesn't strike me as idiomatic.
  • I would take it to mean "while he slept".
  • Hans51 I took a picture of Tom while he was sleeping.
  • , natural.
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1 Answers
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Hans51I took a picture of Tom when he slept.

This doesn't strike me as idiomatic. I would take it to mean "while he slept".

Hans51I took a picture of Tom while he was sleeping.

This is idiomatic, i.e., natural.

"while" forces a continuous reading on the following verb, so the meaning is the same whether

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