Kim worked in Rome for two years. She was teaching English.

[Marika33]

1. Kim worked in Rome for two years. She was teaching English.
Kim worked in Rome for two years teaching English.

2. Anna walked around the town. She looked at the sights and took pictures.
Anna walked around the town looking at the sights and taking pictures.

I found these sentences in a grammar book and I don't really know why there's a past continuous sentence in 1, but a past simple sentence in 2.
Would it be wrong if I used the past simple in both, the past continuous in both, or just switched the aspects (the past simple in 1, the past continuous in 2)?

1B. Kim worked in Rome for two years. She taught English.
2B. Anna walked around the town. She was looking at the sights and taking pictures.

(from Grammar in Use, unit 66, exercise 1)

 

[Tarheel]

Abe: What was Kim doing in Rome?
Bob: Teaching English.

Unfortunately, no context is given in #1 to justify using past continuous. In my humble opinion the past simple would work better there.

 

[jutfrank]

No, it wouldn't be wrong. You'd just be changing the aspect.

Is this Advanced Grammar In Use by Ray Murphy? Which edition are you using? In the one I have, Unit 66 is about position of adverbs.

 

[Tarheel]

Anna walked the town looking at the sights and taking pictures.

Best.

 

[Marika33]

Is this Advanced Grammar In Use by Ray Murphy? Which edition are you using? In the one I have, Unit 66 is about position of adverbs.

It's Grammar in Use Intermediate, by Raymond Murphy. It's a Purple book, American English.

 

[Marika33]

Unfortunately, no context is given in #1 to justify using past continuous. In my humble opinion the past simple would work better there.

Do you think this is better "Kim worked in Rome for two years. She taught English"?

 

[Piscean]

The original is fine.

 

[Marika33]

The original is fine.

Yeah, but why in 1A there's the past continuous, but in 2A the past simple?

1A. Kim worked in Rome for two years. She was teaching English.
Kim worked in Rome for two years teaching English.

2A. Anna walked around the town. She looked at the sights and took pictures.
Anna walked around the town looking at the sights and taking pictures.

 

[Tarheel]

Do you think this is better "Kim worked in Rome for two years. She taught English"?

That's fine.

 

[emsr2d2]

Yeah Yes, but why is the past continuous used in 1A there's the past continuous, but the past simple in 2A? the past simple?

There is no 1A or 2A in the first post. You gave us 1 and 2, and 1B and 2B.

 

[Marika33]

There is no 1A or 2A in the first post. You gave us 1 and 2, and 1B and 2B.

They are in #8. Yes, they are the same.

1 = 1A
2 = 2A
1B = 1B
2B = 2B
I hope this helps.

 

[Tarheel]

@Marika33 In post #4 it's supposed to be: "Ann walked around the town looking at the sights and taking pictures."

It's too late for me to change it.

 

[Tarheel]

@Marika33 I don't like to be confused, so I would prefer the numbering system to be as simple as possible. Also, if you want to compare two sentences then post just those sentences.

 

[Marika33]

@Marika33 I don't like to be confused, so I would prefer the numbering system to be as simple as possible. Also, if you want to compare two sentences then post just those sentences.

OK. These two sentences are from Grammar in Use, by Raymond Murphy. They both have no context in the book.
Could you please explain to me why is the past continuous used in 1A, but the past simple in 2A? Would the meaning (in general) be the same if I switched the aspects vice versa?

1A. Kim worked in Rome for two years. She was teaching English.
2A. Anna walked around the town. She looked at the sights and took pictures.

--->

1B. Kim worked in Rome for two years. She taught English.
2B. Anna walked around the town. She was looking at the sights and taking pictures.

 

[Tarheel]

@Marika33 I can't explain somebody else's choices. I can't always explain my own choices.

You say those sentences are from a grammar book. Well, that doesn't mean I have to like them.

In real life there is always context
You need to work on the way you ask questions. (More about that later.)

You would be doing me a favor if you make your sentences shorter. (It would make it easier for me to make corrections.)

As for your sentences, I would change each one of them. First one.

Kim worked in Rome for two years teaching English.

The original is in my humble opinion two sentences that don't really go together.

Second one.

Anna walked around the town looking at the sights and taking pictures.

The original is okay, but I think my sentence is better.

Third one.

Either:

Kim worked in Rome for two years teaching English.

Or:

Kim lived in Rome for two years. She taught English while she was there.

Fourth sentence.

Now I would be repeating myself, and this is long enough.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

Why is past continuous used in X and past simple used in Y? (If you want to use the the longer version you have to phrase it differently.)

I don't know the answer to that question because I didn't write those sentences. (Jutfrank might have something to say about it though.)