while they listened for signs of anyone trapped

[Maybo]

At times they asked for complete silence around them while they listened for signs of anyone trapped. (Creeslough: Ten dead after Donegal petrol station explosion by BBC)

Why is "while" used but not "when"?

 

[5jj]

It's the classic meaning of 'while', covering a perod of time rather than a point in time.

 

[Maybo]

Why didn't the writer write "while they were listening for signs of anyone trapped"?

 

[5jj]

Sorry, but I am not telepathic.

 

[Maybo]

1. "while they were listening for signs of anyone trapped"
2. "while they listened for signs of anyone trapped"

Do they convey the same meaning?

 

[5jj]

#1 puts more emphasis on the ongoing duration of the listening.

 

[Maybo]

I wrote two sentences to check if I'm correct:

1. I saw a bird while I went to school.
2. I saw many colourful pictures while I read the book.

 

[Tarheel]

1. "while they were listening for signs of anyone trapped"
2. "while they listened for signs of anyone trapped"

Do they convey the same meaning?

We don't ordinarily look at sentences in isolation. Instead, we see them as part of the context. What I mean is the reader would probably understand either sentence the same way.

 

[Tarheel]

I wrote two sentences to check if I'm correct:

1. I saw a bird while I went to school.
2. I saw many colourful pictures while I read the book.

Imagine if you will some kind of possible real world context for that. Did you see the bird on the way to school, while you were at school, or in your way home from school?

 

[Maybo]

We don't ordinarily look at sentences in isolation. Instead, we see them as part of the context. What I mean is the reader would probably understand either sentence the same way.

I was taught that when we use "while", we need to use ing, something like "... while I was sleeping". Therefore, when I found "was listening for" and "listened for" are both acceptable, I don't know when to use which.

 

[5jj]

1. I saw a bird while I went to school.

This is unnaturaL.The duration of the going is much greater than that of the seeing: I saw a bird when I was going. to school.

2. I saw many colourful pictures while I read the book.

I can't imagine wanting to saydometing this with any combitation of tenses.

 

[Maybo]

This is unnaturaL.The duration of the going is much greater than that of the seeing: I saw a bird when I was going. to school.

I see. When the duration is much longer, we use ing. As for "while they listened for signs of anyone trapped", that could be a short period.

 

[jutfrank]

I was taught that when we use "while", we need to use ing, something like "... while I was sleeping".

That's not true.

When the duration is much longer, we use ing. As for "while they listened for signs of anyone trapped", that could be a short period.

No. It doesn't matter how long the action lasted. It's about how the speaker perceives the action in relation to the time frame in which it happens.