He was watching T.V when i arrived. OR When he was watching T.V, i arrived.

[Kunpiseth]

Dear all

Please help to explain me about 2 sentences below

- He was watching T.V when i arrived.

- When he was watching T.V, i arrived.

Thanks

[Cerberus™]

The difference is slight; it is a matter of focus and style: normally the main clause contains the most important, new information, and the subordinate clause contains background information. In your examples, "when ..." is the subordinate clause, and the other clause is the main clause. Because you shift "he was watching tv" from main clause to subordinate clause, it changes from focus to background. That may or may not be important.

1. - He was watching T.V when i arrived. ("he was watching tv" is main clause, thus focal information)

2. - When he was watching T.V, i arrived. ("he was watching tv" is subordinate clause, thus background information)

Note that this distinction is by no means clear: my explanation is just a common way to deal with these types of sentences; but there may very well be other reasons for shifting clauses like this. The bottom line is: don't worry about it; they mostly have the same meaning.

[Torsten]

Hi Kunpiseth, welcome to our forum. Please read the following and change your topic title accordingly: What is a meaningful message title and why is it important?

TOEIC listening, question-response: In which month were you born?

[Kunpiseth]

Hi cerberus

Thank your answering

:)

[Kunpiseth]

Dear Torsten

Thank your advice

:)

[Kunpiseth]

Dear ALL

I want to know about Passive and Active please guide about them ?

thanks

[Beeesneees]

That is a very wide question, and good grammar textbook would need several chapters to begin answering it. I suggest you wait until you have a specific example that you want to ask about. Then we can provide detail.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Alan]