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Guest Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

While

While I cooked dinner, he did his homework.
Is this sentence correct? Can a while clause in the past simple or present simple instead of continuous tenses?
When to use "as", "when" clauses?
Many thanks.
  

Top answer

I think 'was doing his HW' wuld suit better here. I'd be interested too to hear others' opinions.

— Maverick88

  • I think 'was doing his HW' wuld suit better here.
  • I'd be interested too to hear others' opinions.
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3 Answers
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I think 'was doing his HW' wuld suit better here.
I'd be interested too to hear others' opinions.
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JTT: Yup, the sentence is fine. These are about things that are more distant past. They lack the immediacy of a past continuous.

Can a while clause in the past simple or present simple instead of continuous tenses?

Examples from Google:
Man has accurately determined that the sun is stationary while the earth
revolves about it.

To put it in a more simple wa
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You can use a clause of 'while ' only when the Event is durative.
'When ' has not such restrictions.

(1) + while/when : both are OK.
(o) Dad came back when I was doing homework.
(o) Dad came back while I was doing homework.

(2) + while/when : 'while' is better.
(o) While mom was cooking, I was watching TV.
(o)
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