Question

ken000

4 Jun 2014

Japanese

English (US)

Closed question

Question about English (US)

What is the difference between We stood talking for an hour. and We talked standing for an hour. ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

Answers

jessenstein

6 Jun 2014

Featured answer

English (US)

You can use either. Without context clues neither stood nor stand will imply movement.

If you want to stress the fact that you were in a single spot the entire time you can add 'there'. You can further stress it by adding 'the entire time' or 'the whole time' to let the reader know the exact duration of standing.

"They stood there talking for an entire hour."

"They were standing there, talking for an entire hour."

See a translation

Highly-rated answerer

Share this question

Copy URL

jessenstein

4 Jun 2014

English (US)

They both mean the same thing.

See a translation

1 like

Highly-rated answerer

havick88

6 Jun 2014

English (US)

^ well yes your right in part but then again your not quite right. Remember people could use "stood" to imply that they had stayed in the same area for the hour but not necessarily standing the whole time. Where as the second one is more literal

See a translation

1 like

jessenstein

6 Jun 2014

English (US)

I disagree. I feel like any amount of movement would change the entire sentence. "We walked around talking for an hour."

Very very few native speakers would believe "We talked, standing for an hour." would involve any area changes.

See a translation

1 like

Highly-rated answerer

ken000

6 Jun 2014

Japanese

Thanks jessenstein and havick.
I have an question.
If I want to stress to keep standing for an hour for talking,do I use the verb "stood"?

See a translation

jessenstein

6 Jun 2014

English (US)

You can use either. Without context clues neither stood nor stand will imply movement.

If you want to stress the fact that you were in a single spot the entire time you can add 'there'. You can further stress it by adding 'the entire time' or 'the whole time' to let the reader know the exact duration of standing.

"They stood there talking for an entire hour."

"They were standing there, talking for an entire hour."

See a translation

1 like

Highly-rated answerer

jessenstein

6 Jun 2014

English (US)

Heres a few more examples:

We talked, standing for a whole hour.

We stood there talking the whole time.

We stood there talking for a whole hour.

See a translation

1 like

Highly-rated answerer

ken000

7 Jun 2014

Japanese

I'm grad to your teaching and suggesting examples.
I could understand it deeply.

See a translation

[News] Hey you! The one learning a language!

Do you know how to improve the way you study a language❓ All you need to do is write a diary in the language you are learning!
With HiNative, you can have a native speaker correct your diary every day✍️✨

Share this question

Copy URL

What is the difference between We stood talking for an hour. and We talked standing for an hour. ?Feel free to just provide example sentences.

They both mean the same thing.

^ well yes your right in part but then again your not quite right. Remember people could use "stood" to imply that they had stayed in the same area for the hour but not necessarily standing the whole time. Where as the second one is more literal

I disagree. I feel like any amount of movement would change the entire sentence. "We walked around talking for an hour."Very very few native speakers would believe "We talked, standing for an hour." would involve any area changes.

Heres a few more examples:We talked, standing for a whole hour.We stood there talking the whole time. We stood there talking for a whole hour.

I disagree. I feel like any amount of movement would change the entire sentence. "We walked around talking for an hour."

Very very few native speakers would believe "We talked, standing for an hour." would involve any area changes.

Heres a few more examples:

We talked, standing for a whole hour.

We stood there talking the whole time.

We stood there talking for a whole hour.