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Anonymous Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
Which is right?
Hello, I'd like to ask which of these options is the right one.
She had been watching TV when we arrived. X She was watching TV when we arrived.
I thought the first option is correct, meaning it started to happen sooner than the fact that we arrived, and it lasted for a certain period time continuously, therefore the continuous form. My teacher, however, said the second option is correct. So, is he right?:-)
The second thing is:
I was tired when I got home because I had been working whole day X I was tired when I got home because I had worked whole day?
Thank you very much in advance:-)
She had been watching TV when we arrived. X She was watching TV when we arrived.
I thought the first option is correct, meaning it started to happen sooner than the fact that we arrived, and it lasted for a certain period time continuously, therefore the continuous form. My teacher, however, said the second option is correct. So, is he right?:-)
The second thing is:
I was tired when I got home because I had been working whole day X I was tired when I got home because I had worked whole day?
Thank you very much in advance:-)
Top answer
" That is because it denotes that her act of watching TV was still going on when you arrived, where as saying "she had been watching TV" means that action had ended. No. 2 I was tired when I got home because I had been working THE whole day.
- " That is because it denotes that her act of watching TV was still going on when you arrived, where as saying "she had been watching TV" means that action had ended.
- No.
- 2 I was tired when I got home because I had been working THE whole day.
- (correct) I was tired when I got home because I had worked THE whole day.
- (also correct)
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2 Answers
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It would be correct to say, "She had been watching TV before we arrived."
But, if she were still watching TV when you arrived it would be correct to say, "She was watching TV when we arrived." That is because it denotes that her act of watching TV was still going on when you arrived, where as saying "she had been watching TV" means that action had ended.
No. 2
I was ti
But, if she were still watching TV when you arrived it would be correct to say, "She was watching TV when we arrived." That is because it denotes that her act of watching TV was still going on when you arrived, where as saying "she had been watching TV" means that action had ended.
No. 2
I was ti
00
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