What is the difference between when and while?

AnonymousSomeone help me

What is the difference between when and while?

Very little difference. I do make a distinction for students who are learning English, but this is only for past tenses. I encourage the use of 'when' with the simple past and "while" with the progressive.

PhilipVery little difference. I do make a distinction for students who are learning English, but this is only for past tenses. I encourage the use of 'when' with the simple past and "while" with the progressive.

When the doorbell rang, I jumped. While I was talking on the phone, the doorbell rang.

Hi guys,

I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class.

When the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

While the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

While I was taking a shower, the phone rang.

Best wishes, Clive

The first two examples alone are complicated, the whilechanging the phone ringing (in the first sentence) from an event to an activity (in the second). These are simple?

Hi CJ,

I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class.

When the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

While the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

[You said]

The first two examples alone are complicated, the while changing the phone ringing (in the

CliveHi guys,

I usually discuss simple examples like these with my class.

When the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

While the phone rang, I was taking a shower.

While I was taking a shower, the phone rang.

Best wishes, Clive

Hi,

I think you have forgotten

When I was taking a shower, the phone rang.

like the 3rd one.

now the picture is complete.

I didn't forget. It's just that I usually deal with this version in a later lesson, because my first focus is to help students get a basic understanding that there is often a difference between

Hi, Clive,

What's your explanation for the use of while, not when, in the following:

Make hay while the sun shines.
Something very amusing happened while you were out.

(This is not a "challenge" question. I am actually trying to figure out what explanation I would give, and I'm kind of stumped. Just mentioning duration doesn't seem ent

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the interesting comments and questions.

What's your explanation for the use of while, not when, in the following:

Make hay while the sun shines. It seems to me the idea is that the sun is shining for a period of time, during which you can make hay.
Something very amusing hap

Thanks for the input, Clive! There are certainly some subtle factors at play here. One day I may take the time to analyze it more rigorously to see if there are some hidden principles at work which I am missing so far.