Could "while" be followed by the gerund in the sentence below?

[rezaaa]

"He huffed and puffed going up the stairs." Does that mean after going upstairs he huffed or while going upstairs?

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: Could "while" follow the gerund in the sentence below?

"He huffed and puffed going up the stairs." Does that mean after going upstairs he huffed or while going upstairs?

If it were after, it would say, "He huffed and puffed after going up the stairs."

It doesn't.

Could while follow going?: "He huffed and puffed going while up the stairs." No. That doesn't make sense.

You could put it before going: "He huffed and puffed while going up the stairs." It would mean the same thing as the original sentence. But it would be wordier and wouldn't be natural.

 

[rezaaa]

Re: Could "while" follow the gerund in the sentence below?

Sorry, i meant that it could be followed by the gerund.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: Could "while" follow the gerund in the sentence below?

Sorry, I meant that it could be followed by the gerund.

Yes, indeed!

 

[emsr2d2]

Re: Could "while" follow the gerund in the sentence below?

For me, the original means he huffed and puffed while climbing the stairs.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Re: Could "while" follow the gerund in the sentence below?

For me, the original means he huffed and puffed while climbing the stairs.

Exactly.