[Grammar] while followed by verb+ing after Future simple

Status
Not open for further replies.

Runman 222

New member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
France
Hello, I was wondering if this sentence is correct . I'm going to take a bath while reading a novel. I know that we use the present simple after conjunctions while and when in future tenses but is it possible to just use a present participle ? Thank you very much in advance.
 

Rover_KE

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Member Type
Retired English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Your sentence is correct.

Rover
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
I agree that it's correct, but it does not sound very natural to me.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I agree that it's correct, but it does not sound very natural to me.

Nor me. However, "I'm going to read a book while taking a bath" or "I'm going to read a book in the bath" are fine.
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I think it's because the bath starts, then the reading begins, then you put the book down, and then you finish your bath. So "read while I am taking a bath" sounds okay (to me).

To say "take a bath while reading" makes it sound like you have your nose in your book as you turn on the taps, get undressed, and so on.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
Yes, I agree entirely. The use of "while" is generally used by giving the activity which will take the shorter time first, and then stating a longer activity that you will be doing before, during and after the shorter one.

I'm going to read a book while having a bath.
He's going to eat his dinner while watching a film.
My brother always writes a short poem while he's eating his breakfast.
 

Runman 222

New member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
France
Thank you all very much for your replies. I understand the use of "while" a lot better now. Thanks again for the clarifications.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
Thank you all very much for your replies. I understand the use of "while" a lot better now. Thanks again for the clarifications.
Sorry, Runman, we didn't notice you were a new member. Welcome to the forum.
 
Last edited:

charliedeut

VIP Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Spanish
Home Country
Spain
Current Location
Spain
May I point out that, IMO, books and water should not get that close to one another?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
May I point out that, IMO, books and water should not get that close to one another?

In principle, I agree with you. However, I almost always read in the bath. Worse, I frequently use my smartphone in the bath. One day, that will go badly wrong.
 

Barb_D

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 12, 2007
Member Type
Other
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I can tell you from experience that having a book in your hand and a cat on the edge of the tub is a bad combination. Well, actually, it's fine as long as the cat stays on the edge. Things tend to go wrong when the cat is clumsy.
 

Runman 222

New member
Joined
Nov 11, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
France
I thank you kindly for welcoming me. I am currently teaching English in France to beginning and advanced students. This site is tremendously valuable. Please correct me at any time for I'm still learning . If anybody has any questions in regards to teaching here I will be glad help.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top