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Why not use 'during' but 'while'?



 
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Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #1 (permalink) Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:39 am   Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #94 "While, during and for", question 4

......... I was in Geneva I made lots of friends.

(a) While
(b) During
(c) For

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #94 "While, during and for", answer 4

While I was in Geneva I made lots of friends.

Correct answer: (a) While

Your answer was: incorrect
During I was in Geneva I made lots of friends.
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why not use 'during' but 'while' in the sentence?
please explain it for me.

thanks
peter
Peter
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Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #2 (permalink) Fri Oct 13, 2006 13:56 pm   Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

Hi Peter

The words during and while have similar meanings but are used differently grammatically.

Here is a very basic explanation:

The word during is followed by a noun or noun phrase:
- During my vacation in Geneva I made lots of friends.


The word while is followed by a clause (subject + verb):
- While I was in Geneva I made lots of friends.

You would also use while in cases where a clause is understood, but some of the words have been omitted:
- While in Geneva I made lots of friends.
(The words "I was" are understood in this sentence.)

Amy
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Re: Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #3 (permalink) Thu Dec 30, 2010 5:14 am   Re: Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

why not use 'during' but 'while' in the sentence?

is the sentence above correct?
Baotet
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Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #4 (permalink) Thu Dec 30, 2010 5:48 am   Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

Hi Baotet,

Please read Yankee's explanation above. You cannot use 'During' in this sentence because it is not followed by a noun or noun phrase.
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Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #5 (permalink) Thu Dec 30, 2010 6:05 am   Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

I think Baotet was asking something else...
Quote:
why not use 'during' but 'while' in the sentence?

is the sentence above correct?
No, it isn't. However, that was the way the Peter wrote his question at the beginning of this thread. A correct version would be this, for example:

- Why not use 'during' instead of 'while' in the sentence?

.
By the way, your own question would have been correct if you had capitalized the first word, and it would have been clearer if you'd put the quote inside quotation marks.
;-)
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Why not use 'during' but 'while'? #6 (permalink) Thu Dec 30, 2010 8:31 am   Why not use 'during' but 'while'?
 

[quote

- Why not use 'during' instead of 'while' in the sentence?

[/quote]

Hi Esl Expert
Thank you so much! I will put your correct sentence in my 'question.doc' file. This file included all correct questions. It support me when I ask teachers and experts like you in this forum.
I like you! :-)
Baotet
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Joined: 29 Apr 2010
Posts: 18
Location: Halong

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