Name: ____________________ Date: _________________

Fill in the blanks with when or while.

1. I was having lunch _____________ James arrived.

2. _____________ I heard the doorbell, I went to the door.

3. _____________ Jo was washing her hair, I did my homework.

4. _____________ I buy the bread, you can go to the butcher's.

5. I was at the baker's _____________ I met Jo.

6. The customer was being helped by the salesman _____________ the thief came into
the store.

7. _____________ you saw Keith, was he with Jo?

8. I was in the shop _____________ someone stole my bag.

9. I hurt my back _____________ I tried to lift the piano.

10. _____________ we were standing outside the cinema, someone picked my pocket.

11. _____________ Mrs Scott came back to her hotel, she called the elevator.

12. _____________ he was talking on the phone, I was watching TV.

13. He was cancelling his flight _____________ we called him.

14. I was overtaking a truck _____________ I heard a loud thump.

15. We were watching a movie _____________ the screen went blank.

16. _____________she was packing the bags, I was looking for our passports.

17. We were complaining about the weather _____________ the sun broke through the clouds.

18. Sandra was washing the dishes _____________ a plate fell off the shelf.

19. Do not disturb me _____________ I'm listening to music!

20. _____________ I was texting, the school bus arrived.

21. Cindy broke her leg _____________ she was snowboarding.

22. He was listening to the radio _____________ he was preparing breakfast.

23. My father was driving at 70 km/h _____________ a policeman stopped him.

24. My dad fell off the ladder _____________ he was painting the carport.

Making complex sentences using when and while Page 1/2

25. We were playing monopoly _____________ the lights went off.

26. _____________ we were waiting, we were doing crossword puzzles.

27. Nick became sick _____________ he was travelling in Texas.

28. What were you doing _____________ you heard about 9/11?

29. She said that she was not feeling happy, so I talked to her.

30. The accident happened _____________ I was out.

31. The accident happened during my holidays.

32. It was raining during the whole night.

33. We were sleeping in our tents _____________ it was raining.

34. She was surfing the internet _____________ her friend was driving.

35. She was surfing the internet during the break.

36. Ian entered the room _____________ I was doing my homework.

37. During the summer he worked as a lifeguard.

38. _____________ they were watching a video, the phone rang.

39. I was asleep when Cheng Chee rang to say she wasnt coming home.

40. He read about the accident _____________ he was sitting on the train.

41. _____________ he got off the train, he went to work.

42. _____________ he was watching TV, I was studying.

43. _____________ he finishes school, he wants to go to University.

44. Can you do the hoovering _____________ I am shopping tomorrow?

45. _____________ he becomes more senior in the company, he gets paid more.

Making complex sentences using when and while Page 1/2

Name: ____________________ Date: _________________

Exercise 1: Past simple and past continuous

Complete the sentences. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the past continuous.

1. When they (walk) on they ice, they (fall).

2. As Mike (run), a dog (attack) him.

3. My bag (break) when I (go) home.

4. Mary (wear) a new dress when (see) her.

5. While I (drive), I (have) an accident.

6. I (hear) the news when I (have) lunch.

7. The thieves (hide) in the kitchen when the police (come) in.

8. While we (clean) the house, we (break) some glasses.

Making complex sentences using when and while

Level 4 & 5
Learning English

when or while
We use both when and while as subordinating conjunctions to introduce adverbial
clauses of time. They mean during the time that and indicate that something is or was
happening when something else occurred:
The prisoners escaped when / while the prison warders were eating their lunch.
When / While the prison warders were eating their lunch, the prisoners escaped.
Note that we can also use as and whilst in the same way, although they sometimes
sounds more formal or literary
As the sun went down, I sipped a rum and coke on the balcony.
I sipped a rum and coke on the balcony whilst the sun went slowly down on the
horizon.
Note that during, which also introduces a longer period of time, is a preposition which is
use with a noun or noun phrase:
I first met my future wife during my stay in Casablanca.
I first met my future wife while I was staying in Casablanca.

when not while

We use when, not while, to talk about something that occurs at the same time as a longer
action or event that is described in the main clause:
I was asleep in my chair when Dora rang to say she wasn't coming home.
We were playing monopoly when the lights went off.
We also use when, not while, to talk about one event that happens immediately after
another and to talk about periods of time in the past.
When the lights went out, everybody groaned: "Oh no, not another power cut!"
When I was a little boy, power cuts were very frequent, but that was just after the
war.
When can also be used instead of whenever, meaning every timethat:
I always visit my mother-in-law when I'm in Manchester.
I always visit my mother-in-law whenever I'm in Manchester.

while not when

We often prefer while to when to describe the longer action of two events or to talk about
two longer actions that go on simultaneously:
Dora left a message on the voice mail while I was asleep in the chair.
While I was writing my Christmas cards, the children were decorating the tree.
I cooked the supper while Jenny did the ironing.
Note from the above examples that while a progressive tense is normally used to
describe the longer action associated with a while time clause, simple tenses are also
possible.
Note also that it is often possible to omit subject + be in when- and while-clauses if the
main and subordinate clauses refer to the same subject:
When (you are) crossing the road, be careful to look right, left and right again.
They came across human remains while (they were) excavating the site.

while to contrast ideas

While is not used only used to introduce adverbial clauses of time. In more formal usage,
it is used to link or balance ideas that contrast each other:
While I am happy for us all to eat at home, I don't want to spend hours in the
kitchen preparing the food.
While the news from the front has so far been good, there will almost certainly be
days when we must expect heavy casualties.
Note in this usage the while-clause is normally placed as the first of the contrasting
points.
meanwhile = during this time
Meanwhile, meaning during this time, is a linking adverb which connects and contrasts
ideas between two sentences. It indicates that one event is going on at the same time as
another:
Slice and brush the aubergines with oil and bake in the oven till soft. Meanwhile,
melt some butter in a small pan
Why don't you prepare the boats ready for the water?Meanwhile, I'll check to see
that we've got enough oars.
a while = a short time
Note that when while functions as a noun, it is nearly always used with an indefinite
article:
I haven't seen you around for a while. Where have you been?
Let's just wait a little while longer. He's bound to turn up eventually.

When / While / As

also see past continuous tense

We use when, while and as to talk about situations or actions that occur simultaneously.

1. They can be used to introduce a longer action or situation, which was / is going on when
another situation occurred / occurs.

As I was sleeping, the door bell rang.

While you were studying, your friend called you.

Note: The main clause and as / while clauses can be in reversed order.

The doorbell rang as I was sleeping.

Your friend called you while you were studying.

Note:

Continuous tense is preferred for the longer action or situation (was eating / are walking)
however note that we can use as and while with a simple tense with a state verb. (sit, grow,
be)

As I was at home, the postman came.

2. We prefer while to talk about two simultaneous actions that go / went on together.

While I was a taking shower, my mother was cleaning the attic.

My mother was cleaning the attic while I was taking a shower.

Note: we can also use simple tenses for the same meaning.

While I took a shower, my mother cleaned the attic.

3. We prefer as to talk about two things that change together in time.

As you eat more, you will gain more weight.

As you study more, you will get better grades.

4. We use when to talk about phases of life.

When you were a kid, you used to be so shy. (not while or as)

5. We prefer (just) as to talk about two consecutive events or actions that occurred
simultaneously.
As he opened the drawer, he took out an old photo.
Just as my father came in, the phone rang.

6. We use reductions with when and while.

Dont forget to take a map with you when going camping.

Tell me when ready.
While a student, I used to live with me family.

As, when or while?

from English Grammar Today

As, when and while are conjunctions. In some uses as, when and while can mean the same,
but they can also have slightly different meanings. We use them to introduce subordinate
clauses.

We can use as, when and while to mean during the time that, to connect two events
happening at the same time:

Another coach-load of people arrived as we were leaving.

We often use them with the past continuous to refer to background events:

When the men were out working in the field, I helped with milking the cows, feeding the
calves and the pigs.

While he was working, he often listened to music.

We can put clauses with as, when and while before or after the main clause. When they
come before the main clause, we use a comma:

As she was leaving the court, a crowd of photographers gathered around her. (before the
main clause, followed by a comma)

Steven was very unhappy when things werent going well for him.

Lucy came into the room while he was waiting.

As

We can use as to introduce two events happening at the same time. After as, we can use a
simple or continuous form of the verb. The continous form emphasises an action that
interrupts or occurs during the progress of another action:

As she walked to the door, she thanked them for a lovely dinner.

As they were signing the contract, they noticed that a page was missing.
When

We can use when to introduce a single completed event that takes place in the middle of a
longer activity or event. In these cases, we usually use a continuous verb in the main clause
to describe the background event:

He was walking back to his flat when he heard an explosion.

Depending on the context, when can mean after or at the same time.

Compare

When you open the file, check the second page. when meaning after

I eat ice cream when I am on holiday. when meaning at the same time

See also:
Conditionals
We often use just with when or as to express things happening at exactly the same time:

The phone always rings just when Im closing the front door.

She was a brilliant gymnast, but she had a terrible accident in 1999, just as her career was
taking off.

While and as

We can use while or as to talk about two longer events or activities happening at the same
time. We can use either simple or continuous verb forms:

We spent long evenings talking in my sitting-room while he played the music he had chosen
and explained his ideas.

We were lying on the beach sunbathing as they were playing volleyball.

See also:
As
While

When and while without a subject

We can use when and while without a verb, or without a subject + auxiliary verb be:

Go past the village signpost and you get to a church. When there, take the next turning
right. (formal)
He read his book while waiting for the bus. (while he was waiting)

Warning:

We cant use as in this way:

We ate our sandwiches as we walked around the park.

Not: as walking around the park.

HEN & WHILE

We use when and while to talk about two things that are happening at the same time.

I was sleeping when the teacher finished the lesson.

He was snoring while she was watching a movie.

What is the difference between when and while?

WHILE: Usually we use while when there are two long actions.

WHEN: Usually we use when if one action is long and the other is short.

We use when if there are two short actions.

We use when if we talk about periods of our life (When I was 12 )

1. The dog was barking. She was talking to her mother on the phone.
talking to her mother = long action
dog barking = long or short (Did the dog bark for a long time? Did it bark for a short time?)

It is unclear whether there are two long actions here. So we can use when or while.
The dog was barking when she was talking to her mother on the phone.
The dog was barking while she was talking to her mother on the phone.

2. She was doing the dishes. The telephone rang.

doing dishes = long action
phone rang = short action.

So we'd say,
She was doing the dishes when the telephone rang.

3. The alarm bell rang. He was sleeping.

He was sleeping = long action
alarm bell rang = long or short action (Did it ring for a short time? Did it ring for a long time?)

It is unclear whether they are both long actions. So we can use when or while.
The alarm bell rang while she was sleeping.
The alarm bell rang when she was sleeping.

4. It was raining. I was watching a movie.

It was raining = long action.
I was watching a movie = long action

So we'd say,
It was raining while I was watching a movie.

5. I saw lightning. I heard thunder.

saw lightning = short action
heard thunder = short action
 So we'd say,
I saw lightning when I heard thunder.

6. She was driving to work. She heard the news.

she was driving to work = long action
she heard the news = probably a short action

So we'd probably say,

She was driving to work when she heard the news.

Now that you know the rules, you also need to know that they are not 100 percent. They are
just a guide. Often it isn't so important which one you use, but sometimes it is. If you
understand the rules above, you'll get it right 99% of the time!

As, when and while

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When, while and as can be used to talk about actions or situations that take place at the same

time. There are some differences.

When and while

We can use when and while to introduce a longer background action or situation, which is/was

going on when something else happens/happened. Note that we usually use a continuous

tense for the longer background action or situation.

When- and while-clauses can go at the beginning or end of sentences.

I was having a bath when the telephone rang. OR When the telephone rang I was having a

bath.

While they were having a nap, somebody broke into the house.

I was working on that report when Sam called.

She was waiting for a bus when the accident occurred.

Cathy broke her arm while she was playing in the garden.

When can mean at the same time as something else.

I always wear gloves when I wash clothes.

She always takes her cellphone when she goes out.

When and while: differences

When is used to refer to ages and periods of life. As and while are not possible in this.

His parents died when he was ten.

I was eighteen when I got my driving license.

She was twenty-one when she got married.

 While

While is used to say that two longer actions or situations go/went on at the same time. We can

use progressive or simple tenses.

While he was watching TV, I was working.

He slept while I cooked supper.

You can do the dishes while she cooks dinner.

While she was in Australia, she met a rich businessman and fell in love with him.

I acquired a strong Canadian accent, while I was holidaying in Toronto.

I sprained my ankle while I was playing football.

When and while in reduced clauses

It is often possible to drop subject + be after when and while.

Start when ready. (= Start when you are ready.)

While in Australia, we saw many kangaroos. (= While we were in Australia, we saw many

kangaroos.)

I hurt my back, while lifting that box. (= I hurt my back, while I was lifting that box.)

While in Rome, do as Romans do. (= While you are in Rome, do as Romans do.)

I learned French, while working in France. (= I learned French, while I was working in France.)

As

To talk about two short actions or situations that happen/happened at the same time, we

usually use as. When is also possible.

As I opened my eyes, I saw a strange sight. OR When I opened my eyes, I saw a strange sight.

As can also be used to talk about two situations that develop together. We normally use

simple tenses.

As I get older, I get more optimistic.

As he came into the room, all rose to their feet.

As can be used to introduce a longer background action or situation.

As I was driving down the street, I saw Peter.