UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACION

HUMANAS Y TECNOLOGIAS
CARRERA DE IDIOMAS

Topic:
As, just as, when, while, because and since

Students:
Jennifer Flores
Lizett Vistin

Professor:
Mgs. Magdalena Ullauri

Course:
Sixth semester

As, when or while

As, when and while are conjunctions. In some uses as, when and while can mean the same,
but they can also have slightly different meanings. We use them to introduce subordinate clauses.
We can use as, when and while to mean during the time that, to connect two events
happening at the same time:

Another coach-load of people arrived as we were leaving.

We often use them with the past continuous to refer to background events:

When the men were out working in the field, I helped with milking the

cows, feeding the calves and the pigs.

While he was working, he often listened to music.

We can put clauses with as, when and while before or after the main clause. When they
come before the main clause, we use a comma:

As she was leaving the court, a crowd of photographers gathered around

her. (before the main clause, followed by a comma)

Steven was very unhappy when things werent going well for him.

Lucy came into the room while he was waiting.

As
We can use as to introduce two events happening at the same time. Afteras, we can use a
simple or continuous form of the verb. The continous form emphasises an action that interrupts or
occurs during the progress of another action:

When

As she walked to the door, she thanked them for a lovely dinner.
As they were signing the contract, they noticed that a page was missing.
As lee wakes up, he opens the window

We can use when to introduce a single completed event that takes place in the middle of a
longer activity or event. In these cases, we usually use a continuous verb in the main clause to
describe the background event:

He was walking back to his flat when he heard an explosion.

Depending on the context, when can mean after or at the same time.
Compare

When you open the file, check the second page. when meaning after
I eat ice cream when I am on holiday. when meaning at the same time

We often use just with as or as to express things happening at exactly the same time:

The phone always rings just as Im closing the front door.

She was a brilliant gymnast, but she had a terrible accident in 1999, just as

her career was taking off.

While and as
We can use while or as to talk about two longer events or activities happening at the same
time. We can use either simple or continuous verb forms:

We spent long evenings talking in my sitting-room while he played the

music he had chosen and explained his ideas.

We were lying on the beach sunbathing as they were playing volleyball

(As as from English Grammar Today Cambridge University Press.) (Press)

BECAUSE or SINCE or AS
Although SINCE and AS are conjunctions that can be used to express cause or reason,
BECAUSE is the most direct choice when you want to indicate the why of something. It is the only
one of the three that does not have alternate meanings. As a writer and an editor, I choose
BECAUSE in most instances to avoid confusion. Here are some examples:

funds.

I am asking for leniency BECAUSE I have returned all of the questionable

BECAUSE the tornadoes have created so much damage, the school year

will end early.

I bring up this point BECAUSE so many readers have asked about it.

The word SINCE is better used when referring to time than to cause or reason. (This is not
an absolute rule, but it makes a good "rule of thumb" to avoid confusion.)

I have not spoken to Cecilia SINCE she moved to Texas.

SINCE the curfew was put in place, there has been much less vandalism.
I have not eaten a thing SINCE Harold left me.

When the word AS is used to express cause or reason, it sounds stilted and stuffy to me.
Consider these examples. In my opinion, each sentence would sound better with BECAUSE:

AS the tornadoes have caused so much damage, the school year will end

AS Jeffrey speaks only Japanese, we will not be able to hire him for this

I cannot complete this report by Friday AS I have too many other deadlines.

early.
project.

(Cook)
Cook, R. B. (s.f.). Grammar Glitch Central. Recuperado el 16 de Noviembre de 2015, de Grammar
Glitch Central: http://www.grammarglitchcentral.com/2011/05/because-or-since-or-as/
Press, C. U. (s.f.). English Grammar. Recuperado el 16 de Noviembre de 2015, de English
Grammar: http://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/as-as