Grammar

Question

Hi, please help me.

"I get really angry when I see someone driving while talking on a mobile phone."

Is the above sentence odd? Someone told me that it was odd and that the below sentence was right. But I don't know why.

"I get really angry when I see someone talking on a mobile phone while driving."

Karansardana · Accepted Answer

Well, grammatically, there isn't anything wrong with your first sentence; however, the first sentence is, indeed, odd in a way that it emphasizes 'talking on a mobile phone' more.

I'd try to explain this by using a concept of primary and secondary things.

Primary in this sentence of yours is driving, and therefore, talking is secondary.

Driving while talking suggests that the 'talking' is the user's main activity, and it's the driving that is interfering in his talking. However, user intends to suggest otherwise, and wants to mean that it's the talking that is interfering in his driving.

Cheers
Karan

Mehtab_memon · Answer

I'm going to explain in the following way:

I'm getting really angry, when someone is to be seen talking on mobile during driving.

Please inform me of having done so, if there is any mistake.

Thanks
IBANKER

CalifJim · Answer

tashiroIs the above sentence odd?

Yes. The real reason for your anger is not the driving, but the talking.

CJ

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