①when是at or during the time that, 既指时间点,也可指一段时间,while是during the time that,只指一段时间,因此when引导的时间状语从句中的动词可以是终止性动词,也可以是延续性动词,而while从句中的动词必须是延续性动词。
②when 说明从句的动作和主句的动作可以是同时,也可以是先后发生;while 则强调主句的动作在从句动作的发生的过程中或主从句两个动作同时发生。
③由when引导的时间状语从句,主句用过去进行时,从句应用一般过去时;如果从句和主句的动作同时发生,两句都用过去进行时的时候,多用while引导,如:
a. When the teacher came in, we were talking.
当此句改变主从句的位置时,则为:While we were talking, the teacher came in.
b. They were singing while we were dancing.
④when和while 还可作并列连词。when表示“在那时”;while表示“而,却”,表对照关系。如:1.The children were running to move the bag of rice when they heard the sound of a motor bike.
孩子们正要跑过去搬开那袋米,这时他们听到了摩托车的声音。
2.He is strong while his brother is weak.
他长得很结实,而他弟弟却很瘦弱。
(一)when既可表示某一点时间,也可以表示某一段时间 .在when引导的时间状语从句中,其谓语动词可以是延续性的,也可以是非延续性的,可与主句中的谓语动词同时发生,也可在其后发生.
例如:
1、I was just reading a book when she came into my room.她走进我房间时,我正在看书.
2、Were you writing when the teacher came in?老师进来的时候,你在写信吗?
3、When he was a child he was always trying out new ideas.他小时候就常常试验一些新的设想.
(二)while只能表示某一段时间,不能表示某一点时间.在while引导的时间状语从句中,其谓语动词只能是延续性的,而且也只能与主句中的谓语动词同时发生或存在.
例如:
1、While Jim was mending his bike,Lin Tao came to see him.正当吉姆修自行车时,林涛来看他.
2、You can’t do your homework while you’re watching TV.你不能一边看电视一边做家庭作业.
(三)when和while的区别还在于:while引导的时间状语从句多用进行时态,而when引导的时间状语从句多用一般时态.
例如:
1、While they were talking ,the bell rang.正在他们谈话的时候,上课铃响了.
2、I was doing my homework when my mother came back home yesterday evening.昨天晚上妈妈回家的时候,我正在做家庭作。