问英语｜英语常见问题解答

问

×While he got up, he felt dizzy.

英语老师告诉我,必须将句中的 while 改为 when,句子才是正确的。但我至今不解。while 和 when 不是都可以引导时间状语从句吗?

答

虽然 while 和 when 都能引导时间状语从句,而且意思相同,但是它们在用法上有一个很重要的区别:while 从句中的动词必须是持续性的(be, stay, wait, live 等等),而不能是瞬时性的(get up, arrive 等等)。当 when 从句中的动词是持续性动词时,就可以用 while 来代替 when:

Be careful when crossing streets. (CGEL) 过马路时要小心。
____ crossing the street, he was knocked down by a car.

A. By B. For C. At D. While(Nelson, 300B)

请注意下面 while 从句动词的持续性：

They arrived while I was sunbathing. 当我正在进行日光浴时,他们来了。
We must strike while the iron is hot. (Worrall) 我们必须趁热打铁。
While the discussion was still going on, Gerhardt came in. (Dreiser) 当讨论还在进行的时候, 杰哈特走了进来。
He wrote his greatest novel while working on a freighter. 他在货轮上工作时写出了他那

部最优秀的小说。

问

The population density per square mile in the United States is twenty-two people, while that in Canada is two people. A. whereas B. when C. however D. and (TOEFL)

句中的 while 是否可用 when 来代替?

答

while 与 when 用法上的一个重要区别, 就是 while 可用于表示对比 (whereas), 而 when 却没有这个用法。

Jane was dressed in brown while Mary was dressed in blue. (ALD) 简穿褐色衣服, 而玛丽却穿蓝色衣服。
While their country has plenty of oil, ours has none. (LDCE) 他们国家有充足的石油，而我们国家却没有。
Every knight was on his back, but three of the knights had their legs extended straight out while two had their legs crossed. (Dan Brown, The Da Vinci Code) 每个骑士都仰面躺着，但有三位骑士将双腿伸得笔直，而其他两名骑士则将腿并拢起来。（《达·芬奇密码》）
I felt excited yet apprehensive, well aware that a rousing speech was one thing while designing and passing legislation was another. (Hillary, Living History) 我很兴奋，但不无忧虑，我清楚地知道：振奋人心的演讲是一回事，设计和通过立法则是另一回事。

练习

I'd like to study law at university ____ my cousin prefers geography.
1. A
  though
2. B
  as
3. C
  while
4. D
  for(全国高考四川卷,07-29)
In some places women are expected to earn money ____ men work at home and raise their children.
1. A
  but
2. B
  while
3. C
  because
4. D
  though(全国高考四川卷,08-12)

while/when

while/when¹

while/when²