While you [are/have been] walking home
I have made up the three similar examples below.
(1a) Have you ever seen a ghost while walking home?
(1b) Have you ever seen a ghost while you are walking home?
(1c) Have you ever seen a ghost while you have been walking home?
My non-native English speaking friends think (1a) is Okay. They are not sure whether the next two are correct. Please help me. I really appreciate your time and help.
Top answer
(1a) is fine. (1b) is grammatical but not very natural. (1c) is grammatical and it's OK but still not quite right to my ear.
- (1a) is fine.
- (1b) is grammatical but not very natural.
- (1c) is grammatical and it's OK but still not quite right to my ear.
- I'd say this: Have you ever seen a ghost while you were walking home?
- ever seen means 'seen at any time in the past up to this moment', so the past is a better choice in the while -clause.
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(1a) is fine.
(1b) is grammatical but not very natural.
(1c) is grammatical and it's OK but still not quite right to my ear.
I'd say this:
Have you ever seen a ghost while you were walking home?
ever seen means 'seen at any time in the past up to this moment', so the past is a better choice in the while-clause.
CJ
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