"The manager was finishing the report her husband was busy baking a chocolate cake." vs "The manager finished her report, while her husband baked a cake."

Question

"The manager was finishing the report her husband was busy baking a chocolate cake." vs "The manager finished her report, while her husband baked a cake."

The two phrases are not directly comparable as they convey different meanings. The first phrase suggests that the manager was finishing the report at the same time her husband was busy baking a chocolate cake. The second phrase indicates that the manager had already finished her report while her husband was baking a cake. Both phrases are correct in their respective contexts.

Last Updated: March 17, 2024

This phrase is suitable when you want to describe two ongoing actions happening at the same time.

Use this phrase when you want to show a sequence of events, with one action completed before the other starts.

Answer 1

The manager was finishing the report her husband was busy baking a chocolate cake.

This phrase is correct and conveys the idea that two actions were happening simultaneously.

Answer 2

The manager finished her report, while her husband baked a cake.

This phrase is also correct and indicates that one action was completed before the other began.