TextRanch

The best way to perfect your writing.

Discover why 1,062,726 users count on TextRanch to get their English corrected!

1. Input your text below.
2. Get it corrected in a few minutes by our editors.
3. Improve your English!

One of our experts will correct your English.

Our experts

He sat behind me vs He was sitting behind me

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. "He sat behind me" indicates a simple action in the past, while "He was sitting behind me" suggests a continuous action or a scene-setting description. The choice between them depends on whether you want to emphasize the completion of the action or the ongoing nature of it.

Last updated: March 31, 2024

He sat behind me

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a past action.

This phrase is used to indicate a simple action that occurred in the past. It is straightforward and direct in conveying the information.

Examples:

  • He sat behind me during the entire movie.
  • Yesterday, he sat behind me in the classroom.
  • I'm hoping there's another Dr Cox sat behind me.
  • Morgan said he sat behind you in the theater, and you were hysterical the whole time.
  • He sat behind the Broussard twins at church today And he's been in the shower ever since.
  • Shannon, you sat behind me in 8th-grade French.
  • The real victims are not able to be here but their relatives are sat behind me at the back of this court hoping you will make the right choice.
  • I sat behind you for two years in social studies.
  • I sat behind her in algebra.
  • And Dr. Milano sat behind his desk.
  • I sat behind you in chem lab.
  • In the months that Baldwin the 4400 examined, learned this center more than in the whole year he sat behind the desk.
  • I only remember the name of the dog 'cause it's the same name of the kid who sat behind me in the fourth grade.
  • I wanted to be the guy who sat behind the camera, making it.
  • I always sat behind you, Even though you were so tall I couldn't see the board.
  • M- u, M-y, I've sat behind you for three years.
  • The first time I sat behind it, I had a sort of nervous chill.
  • Whatever measure of control sat behind this chaos, that is where it did so.
  • That's why I sat behind you in Dragonbreath's class.
  • The other one sat behind him so we couldn't see him.
  • If you sat behind the wheel, you'd see the meter better.
  • You sat behind the same fences for 12 years... till I blasted the range open for you.

Alternatives:

  • He was seated behind me
  • He took a seat behind me

He was sitting behind me

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe a continuous action or a scene-setting description.

This phrase is used to describe an ongoing action in the past or to set the scene by providing more detail about the situation.

Examples:

  • While I was reading, he was sitting behind me quietly.
  • During the meeting, he was sitting behind me taking notes.
  • My future husband was sitting behind me.
  • He was sitting behind her and he rubbed her shoulder.
  • He was sitting behind the engine, toward the back of the plane.
  • He was sitting behind his desk for this interview I was to have because he was looking for an actress for that scene in Paths of Glory.
  • At the trial, I was sitting behind you.
  • The man who was sitting behind us.
  • I was sitting behind you at the hotel.
  • Paul had the keys and George was sitting behind the wheel, as we came up.
  • Sitting behind me, a few rows back, is a tall black gentleman.
  • Dr. Henson was shot while he was sitting behind the wheel.
  • And from the angle of that camera, that someone was sitting behind the defense table.
  • Maurice... who is that man sitting behind me?
  • Queen of England had been sitting behind it.
  • Sitting behind that desk is the real Sam Diamond.
  • Since the war ended, most intelligence work is sitting behind a desk, opening foreign mail.
  • A lady and two men are sitting behind you on the balcony.
  • Guess I'm not used to sitting behind a desk.
  • He's been sitting behind that desk too long.
  • Decisions shouldn't be made sitting behind a desk.
  • He's sitting behind a table like during the Fascist period.

Alternatives:

  • He had been sitting behind me
  • He was seated behind me

Related Comparisons

He is up from me vs He was up from me sit next to me vs sit beside me he left me vs he abandend me She sat between you and I vs She sat between you and me She just looks at me vs She looks at me He sat thinking vs sat thinking for some time

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9TextRanch on TrustPilot).

Why choose TextRanch?

Lowest prices
Up to 50% lower than other online editing sites.

Fastest Times
Our team of editors is working for you 24/7.

Qualified Editors
Native English experts for UK or US English.

Top Customer Service
We are here to help. Satisfaction guaranteed!