Joern Matthias
Junior Member
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2008
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- German
- Home Country
- Germany
- Current Location
- Germany
1) I will prepare some good food when we have a party tonight.
2) My parents will sleep when we get home tonight.
Question: Why does the first sentence suggest that I will prepare some good food while the party is going on
and the second that my parents will sleep after we get home?
Is it because the the word 'get' descibes a very short action taking a split second as opposed to
having a party?
I know with certain verbs like come, leave, ring up it is like this, because it is clear that it just
takes a second or so.
What about the case with 'fall asleep'? Because it can take a split second to fall asleep or longer.
example: My mother will kiss my baby brother's forehead tonight as usual when he falls asleep.
Could it be that this sentence suggests 2 possible meanings?
A) My mother will kiss my baby brother's forehead while he is falling asleep, suggesting that the
action of falling asleep will take longer.
B) My mother will kiss my brother's forehead right after he falls asleep, suggesting that the action
of falling asleep will take a split second to be accomplished.
Is there a grammatical term for this group of verbs that describe a split second action like
'switch on, leave, arrive, ring up, disappear, open, close', etc?
Finally, 'My kids and I will belt out happy songs when we drive to the sea tomorrow.'
Does this only mean that we will sing happily while we are driving to the sea?
A big hello from near Munich
Joern
2) My parents will sleep when we get home tonight.
Question: Why does the first sentence suggest that I will prepare some good food while the party is going on
and the second that my parents will sleep after we get home?
Is it because the the word 'get' descibes a very short action taking a split second as opposed to
having a party?
I know with certain verbs like come, leave, ring up it is like this, because it is clear that it just
takes a second or so.
What about the case with 'fall asleep'? Because it can take a split second to fall asleep or longer.
example: My mother will kiss my baby brother's forehead tonight as usual when he falls asleep.
Could it be that this sentence suggests 2 possible meanings?
A) My mother will kiss my baby brother's forehead while he is falling asleep, suggesting that the
action of falling asleep will take longer.
B) My mother will kiss my brother's forehead right after he falls asleep, suggesting that the action
of falling asleep will take a split second to be accomplished.
Is there a grammatical term for this group of verbs that describe a split second action like
'switch on, leave, arrive, ring up, disappear, open, close', etc?
Finally, 'My kids and I will belt out happy songs when we drive to the sea tomorrow.'
Does this only mean that we will sing happily while we are driving to the sea?
A big hello from near Munich
Joern
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