I was sleeping when he came in vs I was asleep when he came in

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. 'I was sleeping when he came in' implies that the action of sleeping was in progress when he entered, while 'I was asleep when he came in' suggests that the state of being asleep existed when he entered. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to emphasize the ongoing action of sleeping or the state of being asleep at that moment.

Last updated: March 17, 2024 • 9203 views

I was sleeping when he came in

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase indicates that the action of sleeping was in progress when he entered.

Examples:

I was sleeping when he came in, so I didn't hear him enter.
She was sleeping when the phone rang.
Were you sleeping when the storm started?

Show examples from the web [+]

“I was sleeping when he came in and threw acid on me…it took one second to ruin my life completely,” says one of the women at the centre of the 40-minute film ...
Jun 3, 2011 ... He brought me flowers on Thursday night, but I was sleeping when he came in (I am either suffering from insanely terrible allergies or a ...
Feb 13, 2013 ... I was sleeping when he came in a awoke to a big black toad jumping off his hands and onto my pillow. It was not the start of a harmonious ...
Mar 23, 2011 ... "I would pretend I was sleeping when he came in," she said while wiping the tears from her eyes. When Bock asked her how she knew it was ...

Alternatives:

I fell asleep when he came in.
I drifted off to sleep when he entered.
I was in the middle of sleeping when he arrived.

I was asleep when he came in

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

This phrase indicates that the state of being asleep existed when he entered.

Examples:

I was asleep when he came in, so I didn't notice him.
She was already asleep when I got home.
Were you asleep when the movie ended?

Show examples from the web [+]

Apr 4, 2015 ... Yeah, most nights I was asleep when he came in, but that's just because I was raised to go to bed at like nine pm. I turned over to look down at ...
Jun 3, 2012 ... All I can say is thank God I was asleep when he came in. My wife informed me that he lifted my gown, and started pressing in and poking my ...

Alternatives:

I had fallen asleep when he entered.
I was already asleep when he came in.
I was in a deep sleep when he arrived.

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I was sleeping when he came in vs I was asleep when he came in