does/is doing// while...make/are making: present simple or continuous

[dewedfrost]

Hello! I'm here asking for your help. I've already searched for some advice somewhere else online.
I have to choose the right option; it's single sentence, no further context is given.

What does/is your sister doing while you are making/make the beds?
She takes/ is taking out the rubbish.

I'd say: What does your sister do while you are making the beds? She takes out the rubbish.

Or are both options possible?
For example, were I describing a picture, I'd always use the present continuous; thanks a lot in beforehand!

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello! I'm here asking for your help. I've already searched for some advice somewhere else online.
I have to choose the right option. It's single sentence. No further context is given.

What does/is your sister doing while you are making/make the beds?
She takes/ is taking out the rubbish.

I'd say: What does your sister do while you are making the beds? She takes out the rubbish.

Or are both options possible?
For example, were I describing a picture, I'd always use the present continuous; thanks a lot in beforehand!

"What does your sister doing" is not possible.

Where did you get these examples? What are they for?

 

[dewedfrost]

I meant "What does your sister do" vs "What is your sister doing";
It's an exercise taken from a English school book; it's about the use of the present simple and continuous.
What can you suggest now?
I really appreciate your help.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I meant "What does your sister do" vs "What is your sister doing";
It's an exercise taken from a English school book. It's about the use of the present simple and continuous.
What can you suggest now?
I really appreciate your help.

There are lots of grammatical possibilities.

 

[dewedfrost]

I would be glad if you could tell me which options or combinations sound more natural.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Oy! Okay. I already told you what isn't natural. These are all natural conversational English.

What does your sister do while you make the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What does your sister do while you're making the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you make the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What is your sister ding while you're making the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What does your sister do while you make the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What does your sister do while you're making the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you make the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What is your sister ding while you're making the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.​

 

[5jj]

Oy! Okay. I already told you what isn't natural. These are all natural conversational English.

What does your sister do while you make the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What does your sister do while you're making the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you make the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you're making the beds?
She takes out the rubbish.
What does your sister do while you make the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What does your sister do while you're making the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you make the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.

What is your sister doing while you're making the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish.​

I agree that these are all possible, but I think the ones I have italicised are less likely. We tend to use the verb form in a response that has been used in a question:

What does your sister do ...?
She takes ... .

What is your sister doing ...?
She's taking ... .

 

[GoesStation]

What is your sister doing while you make the beds?
She takes out the rubbish. :cross:

What is your sister doing while you're making the beds?
She takes out the rubbish. :cross:

What does your sister do while you make the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish. :cross:

What does your sister do while you're making the beds?
She's taking out the rubbish. :cross:

The above are all unnatural and incorrect to me.

 

[Tdol]

Does she always do this while you make the beds?

 

[dewedfrost]

It seems to me that we can say context is fundemental to understand which option fits the best. Thanks a lot for your support!

 

[emsr2d2]

It seems to me that we can say context is fundemental to understand which option fits the best. Thanks a lot for your support!

Context is always important!

 

[dewedfrost]

I do agree with you. But sometimes grammar exercises are more aimed to practicing a rule rather than to contextualising what is said, and "giving the right answer" is quite impossible when there's a plenty of right options, depending on context, as said before.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

The above are all unnatural and incorrect to me.

I heartily agree that they don't make much literal sense. But in casual conversation, they seem natural enough.

As folks have pointed out in other threads, we don't plan our grammar before we say things. We just say them.