while I'm dong sth / do sth

[Natalia]

Can you tell me which of the two tenses works better after the word "while" in this context? Or maybe both are OK?

1) I like to eat crisps while I’m watching TV
2) I like to eat crisps while I watch TV.

[Daniel]

Both are fine. There is almost no difference. (1) might suggest the main on-going activity is watching tv, and that you eat crisps for a short time during that long time of watching tv, while (2) might suggest you do both simultaneously and in general for the same length of time. But either one would be fine in the same situations in conversational English.

[Natalia]

Thank you. I’ll ask you another question if you don’t mind.
If I want to say that I did two activities at the same time in the past, should I use the past simple?, e.g:
While I drove to work, I listened to the radio.
I drank my coffee slowly and thought about the problem.

[Daniel]

Same answer. Those sentences are fine. But you can use the progressive if you want to emphasize that one activity is ongoing (and maybe the other is punctual).

With "and", usually both parts of the sentence are parallel. Not a strict rule, but more common than with "while".

[Natalia]

OK, I see your point. And what about the following sentence:
While (I was) driving to work, I was listening to the radio.

Can I say like that, emphasising that the two activities were in progress at a time in the past, and that I did both simultaneously?

[Daniel]

Yes, you can. The question is whether you want to.

I think many writing guides suggest that sentences like that (the progressive in general) set up a scene, giving background information. So that sounds like you're telling a story and trying to make us picture the situation. It does not describe specific actions, but rather a general situation.

So I would imagine most likely that you would use that sentence either:
1) To introduce a story, sort of painting a picture of what was going on. And:
2) Probably at some point you would have a more punctual or even sudden event expressed with the simple past. For example "Then I had an idea!" or "Then I crashed the car!".

[Natalia]

Thank you for your explanation, it has really helped me.

[Natalia]

Same answer. Those sentences are fine. But you can use the progressive if you want to emphasize that one activity is ongoing (and maybe the other is punctual).

With "and", usually both parts of the sentence are parallel. Not a strict rule, but more common than with "while".

I'm sorry but what is the meaning of "punctual" here?

[Daniel]

Immediate, at a specific point in time. (In contrast to ongoing.)

[Natalia]

OK thank you