When /while

When /while
Message from sabrina1011 posted on 20-10-2013 at 18:14:34 (D | E | F)
Hello,

I have a new question below.
We were at home when the little boy was sleeping.
or
We were at home while the little boy slep.

Which is correct?
Thank you for your help.
Sabrina

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Edited by lucile83 on 20-10-2013 21:35

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Re: When /while from violet91, posted on 20-10-2013 at 18:59:04 (D | E)
Hello Sabrina ,

First of all , your second sentence can't be correct, can it ? . Look at the end of the verb ( to sleep) ...to complete.
When ( = as : simultaneously ) et while ( as long as , meanwhile, in the mean time : both simultaneous and durative ) do not express description with the same impact .
Sentence one is OK* , but doesn't stress the ' action ' of the little boy as descriptively as the second one with while ( = in that spell of time elapsing) , after you change for the right tense .
* you could also have : We were at home when the little boy was asleep (a state somebody regularly checked if it was the case)
-We were at home (talking ) while the little boy was ( quietly) sleeping ( for his naptime , for an hour or two) .
My two pence or cents .

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Re: When /while from sabrina1011, posted on 21-10-2013 at 16:43:01 (D | E)
Thank you,Violet!
Sabrina

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