Anonymous  +  394019 Thu, 19 Jul 07 03:41 PM Someone help me What is the difference between when and while? Anonymous Difference Between

	Philip  +  394028 Thu, 19 Jul 07 04:23 PM  Anonymous wrote: Someone help me What is the difference between when and while? Very little difference.  I do make a distinction for students who are learning English, but this is only for past tenses.  I encourage the use of 'when' with the simple past and "while" with the progressive. When the doorbell rang, I jumped.    While I was talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.  While it was raining I was running through the park.   Philip Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005 Veteran Member 8,738 At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen Difference Between, Tenses, Past Tenses, Learning English, Simple Past

	Linguaphile  +  394035 Thu, 19 Jul 07 05:13 PM  Philip wrote: Very little difference.  I do make a distinction for students who are learning English, but this is only for past tenses.  I encourage the use of 'when' with the simple past and "while" with the progressive. When the doorbell rang, I jumped.    While I was talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.  While it was raining I was running through the park. I doubt whether it is useful not to show them the whole picture. Christopher read a book while I watched television. (Murphy) The telephone always rings when you are having a bath. (Swan) Linguaphile Joined on Tue, Jul 17 2007 Turkey Full Member 140 Difference Between, Tenses, Past Tenses, Learning English, Simple Past

	Clive  +  394228 Fri, 20 Jul 07 06:40 AM Hi guys, I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class. When the phone rang, I was taking a shower. While the phone rang, I was taking a shower. While I was taking a shower, the phone rang. Best wishes, Clive Clive Joined on Thu, Oct 28 2004 Canada Veteran Member 29,676 El tango argentino es un pensamiento triste que se puede bailar (The tango argentino is a sad thought which can be danced) Enrique Santos Discépolo Difference Between

	CalifJim  +  394242 Fri, 20 Jul 07 08:35 AM The first two examples alone are complicated, the while changing the phone ringing (in the first sentence) from an event to an activity (in the second).  These are simple?    I think I'd leave out the second sentence for the first go-around on the subject. CJ CalifJim Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004 California Veteran Member 22,465 "There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche Difference Between

	Clive  +  394317 Fri, 20 Jul 07 02:34 PM Hi CJ, [I said] I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class. When the phone rang, I was taking a shower. While the phone rang, I was taking a shower. [You said] The first two examples alone are complicated, the while changing the phone ringing (in the first sentence) from an event to an activity (in the second).  These are simple?    _________________________ That's precisely the point I try to make in class by contrasting these two examples. I want to make my students aware that, unlike 'when', 'while' focuses on activity, on duration. Thus,'while the phone rang' suggests the phone kept ringing for a long time. They usually seem to understand these short, concrete examples pretty quickly and easily. That's why I referred to them as 'simple examples'. Best wishes, Clive Clive Difference Between

	Linguaphile  +  394358 Fri, 20 Jul 07 04:10 PM  Clive wrote: Hi guys, I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class. When the phone rang, I was taking a shower. While the phone rang, I was taking a shower. While I was taking a shower, the phone rang. Best wishes, Clive Good examples. When the phone rang, I was taking a shower. Say the phone rang at 2 pm and I was having a shower from 1.50 to 2.10 pm. When the phone rang, I was having a shower. The ringing is considered as a point in time. While the phone rang, I was taking a shower. The ringing accompanied me while I was taking a shower. While I was taking a shower, the phone rang. Like the first one with different emphasis. I think you have forgotten When I was taking a shower, the phone rang. like the 3rd one. now the picture is complete. Linguaphile Difference Between

	Clive  +  394359 Fri, 20 Jul 07 04:17 PM Hi, I think you have forgotten When I was taking a shower, the phone rang. like the 3rd one. now the picture is complete. I didn't forget. It's just that I usually deal with this version in a later lesson, because my first focus is to help students get a basic understanding that there is often a difference between 'when and 'while'. This version makes that difference less clear, and thus I find it requires more discussion.  Best wishes, Clive Clive Difference Between

	CalifJim  +  394549 Sat, 21 Jul 07 04:09 AM Hi, Clive, What's your explanation for the use of while, not when, in the following: Make hay while the sun shines. Something very amusing happened while you were out. (This is not a "challenge" question.  I am actually trying to figure out what explanation I would give, and I'm kind of stumped.  Just mentioning duration doesn't seem entirely satisfactory to me, because we also say things like When I was young, I was very thin and When you are older, you'll understand, and both the stages in life when one is young or old extend over a duration of time-- yet, here we use when, not while.) CJ CalifJim Difference Between