What is the difference between while and why

Create a free Team What is Teams? Learn more. The difference between "as" "when" and "while" Ask Question. Asked 5 years, 8 months ago.

Active 1 year, 3 months ago. Viewed 72k times. What's the difference between "as", "when" and "while"? Which is right and why? Improve this question. Nathan Tuggy 9, 20 20 gold badges 38 38 silver badges 56 56 bronze badges. Helen Helen 4 4 gold badges 10 10 silver badges 17 17 bronze badges. Add a comment. Active Oldest Votes. Continuous When implies a causal relationship between two things: when X happens Y happens.

It can be used about a single event, an intermittent state or a continuous state Please come and see me when you are free.

Improve this answer. JavaLatte JavaLatte In your examples The door bell rang when Anna was asleep. A better second sentence might be The door bell rang while Anna slept. A bit more problematic is using as The door bell range as Anna was asleep. As can be used to either show causality or simultaneity. The door bell range as Anna fell asleep. Or you could say it the other way, I take off my shoes when I get home.

Both while and when are used when two things happen at the same time, but we tend to use while with two continuous actions and when with two single actions. We also use when with ages. Or, I went to Brazil for the first time when I was When you have an age, then use when.

I could also have a continuous verb. For example, when I was 25, I was working in New York city. I was working in New York city when I was 25 years old. Now, things start to get a little more complicated when you have two actions but one is a single action and one is continuous. Well, in this case, you can actually use either one. You can say he called while I sleeping or you can say he called when I was sleeping. Now, we usually while or when before a continuous action. The ladies were lying on the beach, sunbathing while their children played volleyball.

In addition, this conjunction can also be used to indicate a contrast. While she is on holiday, she likes to read. When can be used as an interrogative adjective, relative adverb and a conjunction. While can be used as a noun and a conjunction. When , as a conjunction, can refer to actions that take place at the same time or an action that immediately follows another.

While , as a conjunction, can refer to actions or situations that take place at the same time. When is used to talk about ages and periods of life. While cannot be used to talk about ages and periods of life.