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When / While

Indicating time-relative activities

Talking on phone and looking at newborn
 

 

Same-time Events
WHEN

When is complemented by a clause with an activity that 1) is a short interruption, 2) occurs at nearly the same time or shortly after another activity.   A nonprogressive verb form is commonly used (short duration).

  When you called, he was watching his baby.
(short interruption; "at the moment")
when - same time
 

  When you called, he picked up his cell phone.
(series of events; "immediately after")
when - immediately after 

WHILE

While is complemented by a clause with a same-time activity and includes a verb expressing duration. The while-clause often expresses a background activity to a main activity which is the focus.

While he was talking, he was holding his baby.
(ongoing; "during the time")
while -during the time
 

While he was talking, his baby slept.
(ongoing; "during the time")
while -during the time  

  

When/While are prepositions followed by time-related (adjunct) clauses. (CaGEL 700)

Related pages Short / Long Duration,

Also see While Walking "Reducing time-relative clauses"

 

 

When / While

Other Expressions

 

 

 

Other expressions for when and while
WHEN
SAME-TIME¹

We were eating at the moment he called.
We were eating when he called.

We were eating at the time he called.  (point, instant)
We were eating when he called.

We were eating whenever he called. (any time)
We were eating when he called.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER²

We stopped eating upon receiving his call.
We stopped eating when we received his call.

We stopped eating just as he called.
We stopped eatingwhen he called 

We complained immediately after he called.
We complained when he called.

We complained shortly after he called.
We complained when he called 

WHILE
SAME-TIME

We were eating dinner as he was talking / talked on his phone.²

During the time that we were eating dinner, he he was talking / talked on on his phone.

He was talking / talked on on his phone throughout the time that we were eating.

He was talking / talked on on his phone at the same time that we were eating.

He was talking / talked on on his phone. Meanwhile, we were eating.

He was talking / talked on on his phone during the time that we were eating.
 

When has two meanings: 1) same time; 2) immediately after, in sequence
² Specific verbs, such as, talk expess action with duration.

 

 

 

 

Punctuation

Clause Order

 

 

 

COMMA

commaA comma is placed after the when-clause if it is placed before the main clause. The comma marks the separation of the two clauses.
DEPENDENT CLAUSE INDEPENDENT CLAUSE

When you called,

he was watching his baby.

While he was talking,

he was holding his newborn.
NO COMMA

no commaNo comma is used if the when-clause is placed after the main clause.
INDEPENDENT CLAUSE DEPENDENT CLAUSE

He was watching his baby

when you called.

He was holding his newborn

while he was talking.
 

newborn (n.) – a very young baby (first few days)

 

 

 

 

Common Mistakes

Errors and Solutions

 

 

 

ERROR FIX 

* While he called me, he was driving to work.

  The adverb while introduces an activity of longer duration: calling or dialing is a short action.

 

When he called me, he was driving to work.
Change while to when. (when = interruption)

 While he was talking on the phone with me, he was driving to work.
Change the acitivity to one of longer duration.)

*Yellow highlighted words are examples of incorrect usage.

 

 

 

 

Grammar Notes

Traditional Grammar and Linguistic Description

Advanced

 

 

 

TRADITIONAL GRAMMAR LINGUISTIC DESCRIPTION

In traditional grammar, the adverbs when and while introduce adverbial clauses. They are called also called subordinating conjunctions which, in this case, join time-related clauses.  The clause is called a dependent clause. 

Note that in traditional grammar, a preposition requires an object, a noun or noun phrase, after it.  All other types of complements such as an adverb phrase, infinitive phrase, gerund phrase, or clause are not included in the definition of a prepositional phrase. The word is often called a conjunction or subordinating conjunction.  (In this website, the catch-all term is Connectors.) 
 

In linguistic description, the prepositions while, when, though, although, if, as if, as though, whenever, once and whilst may have as a complement: a finite clause, a nonfinite clause, or a verbless clause. The clause is supplemental (a dependent clause) (CaGEL 1262, 1267) 

Temporal Location Adjuncts (after, before, since, when, while) 
— Prepositions  (CaGEL 8 §6.3;697)
— Conjunctions (PEU 73, 411.6, 30, 97)
— Subordinator. Adverbial Clause (LGSWE 2.4.7.5)
— Subordinator. Adverbial Clause (CoGEL 15.28)

Note that a large number of adverbs have been re-assigned to the category of preposition, which allows a wide range of complement type. See Prep Complements.  (CaGEL 700)

 

i.    While he was calling me , he was driving to work. (adverbial clause / subordinating conj. + dependent clause)

ii.   While calling (me), he was driving to work. (Same as above with clause reduction)

iii.  While on the phone, he was driving to work (Qualifies as a preposition!)
 

i.    While he was calling me, he was driving to work. (finite clause)

ii.   While calling (me), he was driving to work. (nonfinite clause)

iii.  While on the phone, he was driving to work (verb-less clause)
 

 

 

 

 

Practice

Monkey on the roofSimultaneous Activities

simultaneous (adj.) – same time   

 

 

 

  1. Select the response from the list that best completes the sentence. 
  2. Click the "check all" button at the bottom of the practice to reveal the answers after you finish.
  3. Click the individual "check" buttons #1-10 to compare responses as you go.

 

1.
 I was making dinner. My sister was watching television.



2.
We were watching the movie called "King Kong".   A friend came over.


3.
We were watching the movie.  We were laughing about its unlikely plot (story).


unlikely plot  (expression) – seemingly impossible events that form a story

4.
The the movie ended. We turned off the TV.


5.
I was talking on the phone.  My friend was reading magazines.

6.
  My friend stood up to leave.  It was midnight.

7.
doorknobHe touched the door knob.  (first activity)  We heard a thud on the roof.  (second activity)


thud (n.) – loud heavy sound

8.
He looked at me. (first activity) I said, "King Kong?" (second activity)

9.
He opened the front door. (first activity)  We saw nothing but leaves and branches. (second activity)


10.
Morning came. (first activity) A truck lifted our "King Kong" off the roof. (second activity)



fallen treetree removal
 

 

 

 

 

Practice 2

Dependent on Devices

Phone Dependence

 

 

 

Read for errors

Psychologists have a growing concern with iPhone and other smartphone dependence. People are interacting with their phones when they could be interacting with people.  Teens and adults are engaging in addictive behavior, such as checking their phones, when having a conversation with a person face-to-face.  Some teens are using words that used to be found only in text-messages, such as, LOL, BRB, while talking with with friends. Some people report that they feel "naked" while they forget their phones or somehow become separated from the device. 

Many cannot sleep while their phones are next to their beds.  A number of people report checking email in movie theaters when they are supposed to be engaged in the movie.  Other people have admitted to doing things on their phones while they were driving or operating heavy equipment. Unfortunately, a distracted driver is often unable to disengage fast enough when an accident is about to happen.  Is it a sign of the times, or just bad behavior?

addictive (adj.) – a habit that turns to a need

admit to (v.) – say with difficulty or embarrassment that something is true

dependence (n.) – the state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support

concern (n.) – worry

device (n.) a mobile device: smartphone, tablet, iPad, iPod, etc.

disengage (v.) – free or release one's attention to something

engage (v.) – occupy the attention of a person

naked (adj.) – without clothing

psychologist (n.) – doctors who study the mind and human behavior

used to be  (v.) – past custom

 

"Do you sleep with your iPhone?"  Apps Gone Free. AppAdvice.com 26 Jul 2011.  Link . Web. Nov 2012

 

 

 

 

  1. Select the response correct or incorrect. 
  2. Click the "check all" button at the bottom of the practice to reveal the answers after you finish.
  3. Compare your response to the answer.

 

11.
People are interacting with their phones when they could be interacting with people.

   

12.
Teens and adults are engaging in addictive behavior, such as checking their phones, when having a conversation with a person face-to-face. 

   

13.
Some teens are using words that used to be found only in text-messages, such as, LOL, BRB, while talking with with friends.

   

14.
Some people report that they feel "naked" while they forget their phones or somehow become separated from the device. 

   

15.
Many cannot sleep while their phones are next to their beds. 

   

16.
A number of people report checking email in movie theaters when they are supposed to be engaged in the movie. 

   

17.
Other people have admitted to doing things on their phones when they were driving or operating heavy equipment.

   

18.
Unfortunately, a distracted driver is often unable to disengage fast enough when an accident is about to happen.