Past events and background activities

The idea

Use while to introduce an activity in progress, often with the past continuous. When can introduce a short event in the past simple. Either clause can come first; use a comma after an opening time clause.

Examples

• The lights went out while we were eating.
• While the children were drawing, the bell rang.
• I was cycling when it started to snow.
• The dog barked when the parcel arrived.
• We talked while the soup was cooking.
• When the alarm rang, she was sleeping.

Watch out

Do not assume while introduces every past event: a sudden arrival is naturally introduced by when.

Try it yourself

1. Choose the correct word. The phone rang ___ we were washing the dishes. (while / because)

   Show answer or example answer

   while

   while: the washing was in progress when the phone rang.

2. Choose the correct word. We were painting ___ someone knocked. (when / while)

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   when

   when: the knock was the shorter event.

3. Choose the correct word. ___ they were travelling, the storm began. (While / Because)

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   while

   while: the journey was already in progress.

Use it today

Describe an interruption and the activity in progress.