as (at the same time)

[greegorush]

Hello!

I have some doubts so I hope you help me dispel them.

The rule: You can use as when two things happen at the same time.
Examples: We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away.
I watched her as she opened the letter.
Can you turn off the light as you go out?
Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.
We met Paul as we were leaving the hotel.

As I understood we can use the -ing clauses in the last three sentences without changing the meaning:
Can you turn off the light going out?
Kate slipped getting off the bus.
We met Paul leaving the hotel (not sure)

The conclusion: we can use the -ing clause instead of as when the subject and the object are the same.
Exception: the see somebody do/doing rule (limited verbs can be used such as see, hear, feel, notice, listen, find...)

I'd be grateful if you could help me make it clear.

Thank you in advance!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello!

I have some doubts so I hope you help me dispel them.

The rule: You can use as when two things happen at the same time.
Examples: We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away.
I watched her as she opened the letter.
Can you turn off the light as you go out?
Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.
We met Paul as we were leaving the hotel.

As I understood we can use the -ing clauses in the last three sentences without changing the meaning:
Can you turn off the light going out?
Kate slipped getting off the bus.
We met Paul leaving the hotel (not sure)

The conclusion: we can use the -ing clause instead of as when the subject and the object are the same.
Exception: the see somebody do/doing rule (limited verbs can be used such as see, hear, feel, notice, listen, find...)

I'd be grateful if you could help me make it clear.

Thank you in advance!

I watched her opening the letter. This is ok.
Can you turn off the light going out? I wouldn't say this.
Kate slipped getting off the bus. This is ok.
We met Paul leaving the hotel. This is ambiguous. We don't know who was leaving the hotel, us or Paul.

 

[greegorush]

Yea, the last sentence becomes ambiguous.

I hardly see the difference between as and when. In Russian language both as and when are possible without any difference in such sentences.

Can you turn off the light as you go out?
Can you turn off the light when you go out?

Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.
Kate slipped when she was getting off the bus.

Can we say: We all waved goodbye to Liz as she were driving away instead of We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away.
If yes, what is the difference?

Thank you.

 

[bhaisahab]

Yea, the last sentence becomes ambiguous.

I hardly see the difference between as and when. In Russian language both as and when are possible without any difference in such sentences.

Can you turn off the light as you go out?
Can you turn off the light when you go out?

Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.
Kate slipped when she was getting off the bus.

Can we say: We all waved goodbye to Liz as she were driving away instead of We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away.
If yes, what is the difference?

Thank you.

Can you turn off the light as you go out?
Can you turn off the light when you go out? These mean the same in English.

Kate slipped as she was getting off the bus.
Kate slipped when she was getting off the bus. These mean the same in English.

Can we say: We all waved goodbye to Liz as she was driving away instead of We all waved goodbye to Liz as she drove away.
If yes, what is the difference?
Yes we can. There is no difference in meaning.