[Grammar] We were still living there when our father passed away.

[Son Ho]

Hi, teachers.
Could you please tell me the differences in meaning between the two sentences? Are both of them correct?

1. We still lived there when our father passed away.
2. We were still living there when our father passed away.

 

[jutfrank]

The first sentence is in past simple and the second is in past continuous. The difference in meaning is the normal difference expressed by these different verb tenses.

Tell us what you have already learnt about this difference.

 

[Son Ho]

Tell us what you have already learnt about this difference.

I think the first one means all of them lived under the same roof. After the father passed away, his children decided not to move out. The second one means while the children were living with their father, he suddenly passed away. ( I think I need to cross out still in this sentence because it makes the sentence wrong)

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I think the first one means all of them lived under the same roof.

Yes. So does the second one.

After the father passed away, his children decided not to move out.

It doesn't tell us whether the children moved.

The second one means while the children were living with their father, he suddenly passed away.

It doesn't tell us whether his death was sudden.

( I think I need to cross out still in this sentence because it makes the sentence wrong)

There's nothing wrong with still. It answers the question of whether you had moved out before he died: You didn't. You were still living there. You still lived there.

To answer your question: Yes, both sentences are grammatical and natural.