simple past and past progressive clauses simple past and past progressive clauses
TRANSCRIPT
SIMPLE PAST AND
PAST PROGRESSIVE CLAUSES
We can use Simple Past and Past Progressive in ONE SENTENCE.
My sister was cooking when she heard about the accident in the news.
PAST PROGRESSIVE SIMPLE PAST
As you see, the first part of the sentence is an INDEPENDENT CLAUSE.
My sister was cooking
And the second part of the sentence is a DEPENDENT CLAUSE.
when she heard about the accident in the news.
The position of the CLAUSES can be swapped. Look:
My sister was cooking when she heard about the accident in the news.
OR
she was cooking.When my sister heard about the accident in the news,
When and while introduce the dependent clause.
Liz fell on the ground while she was exercising.
While Liz was exercising, she fell on the ground.
DEPENDENT CLAUSEOR
Another example
When the alarm went off, she was making breakfast.
OR
She was making breakfast when the alarm went off.
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
When the dependent clause begins the sentence, a comma (,) is added at the end of this clause.
While I was walking home, I found a ten dollar note.
NOTICE THE COMMA.
I found a ten dollar note while I was walking home.
NO COMMA THIS TIME.
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
Often, while goes with PAST PROGRESSIVE and when with SIMPLE PAST.
Liz fell on the ground while she was exercising.
When the alarm went off, she was making breakfast.
PAST PROGRESSIVE
SIMPLE PAST
My sister was cooking when she heard about the accident in the news.
she was cooking.When my sister heard about the accident in the news,
What event occurs first?
My sister started cooking.
She heard the news.
x x
NOW
PAST
And if I change the order of the clauses, does it change the order of the events?
NO, IT DOESN’T.
In a sentence with two clauses, one of them in SIMPLE PAST and the other in PAST PROGRESSIVE, the clause in PAST PROGRESSIVE expresses the first event.
I found a ten dollar note while I was walking home.
I was walking home I found the ten dollar note
x x
NOW
PAST
PAST PROGRESSIVE
Another example
When the alarm went off, she was making breakfast.
She was makingBreakfast.
The alarm went off.
x x
NOW
PAST
PAST PROGRESSIVE
In a sentence with two clauses, both of them in SIMPLE PAST, the DEPENDENT CLAUSE expresses the first event.
When the mailman arrived, I opened the door.
The mailman arrived.I opened the door.
x x
NOW
PAST
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
Another example
It started to rain when we went inside.
We went inside.It started to rain.
x x
NOW
PAST
DEPENDENT CLAUSE
In a sentence with two clauses, both of them in PAST PROGRESSIVE, both events occurredat the same time.
Robert was driving the car while his wife was answering the call.
Robert was driving the car. His wife was answering the phone.
NOW
PAST
Even though Focus on Grammar 4 states that when goes with simple past and while with past progressive, native speakers often use when with both simple past and past progressive. They don't normally use while with simple past. I assume the writers of the book present the use of when and while this way to facilitate students' comprehension.