[General] [I]When[/I] and [I]and[/I]. Time relationship. Do I understand it right?

[cubezero3]

Dickie left the shop without a word and returned carrying a large coth bag.

When Dickie was given the watch, he presented the assistant with the cloth bag.

The idea became clear when I happened to see the sentences quoted above. And and when can both be used to describe past events in sequence. It occurs to me that and, when used, can indicates a fairly wide gap in time, but at the same time, when is strictly employed in situations where two past events happened one right after another. For example, it seems when we tell others We had lunch and played basketball, the listeners don't necessarily know whether we had enough to digest, or spent our time on something else, before we played basketball. However, if we say When we had lunch, we played basketball, it implies we had a ball game session shortly, if not immediately, after our lunch.

Am I right in thinking so?

Thanks

Richard

 

[cubezero3]

Thanks, Gillnetter. That's a very useful answer.

Right before I read your reply, I'd thought the only way to express the meaning as you understood it is to use the following sentence: While we were having lunch, we were playing basketball. At least that's what I've learnt from grammar books.

Could anyone cast further light on this matter, please?

Thanks

Richard

 

[bhaisahab]

Thanks, Gillnetter. That's a very useful answer.

Right before I read your reply, I'd thought the only way to express the meaning as you understood it is to use the following sentence: While we were having lunch, we were playing basketball. At least that's what I've learnt from grammar books.

Could anyone cast further light on this matter, please?

Thanks

Richard

"While we were having lunch, we were playing basketball." That is a correct sentence.

 

[cubezero3]

"While we were having lunch, we were playing basketball." That is a correct sentence.

Hello, bhaisahab.

When I replied to Gillnetter, I didn't realise what I was actually saying. That's reallya shame.

I want to know whether I correctly understand the difference between and and when.

I've gathered that only when two past actions immediately happened one after another, when can be used. Compared to when, and is used to show one past action happened after another, regardless of the sime span.

Thanks

Richard