[etni] Grammar Question
- From: "David R. Herz" <drh16@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <byk@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Nov 2011 07:35:32 +0200
It's pretty simple actually. What I used to tell my students was that it is
the "happening-ness" that calls for the progressive. In this case, just
think how you might answer "When did they tell you the story?" They told it
while we were eating. It's calling for a fact. It's like they were hit by
a car while they were crossing a street. It's just telling you when a fact
happened. One interrupts the other, but it is qualitatively different from
two things happening exclusively at the same time. I was watching the
television while they were eating. (Thus, I had no idea what they were
doing at the same time. The fact that the other continues at the same time
is what is important.
I copy David in case he deems this to be of sufficient interest to share
with the list.
David R. Herz
Bet Rimon
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