while talking with

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "while talking with" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is happening simultaneously during a conversation with someone. Example: "I realized my mistake while talking with my colleague about the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

LA MOCA Director Jeffrey Deitch, who took great interest in the presentation, even stayed a while talking with guests and panelists on stage.

Huffington Post

But he was mostly serious while talking, with some reticence, about himself and his career.

The New York Times - Arts

To demonstrate, Mr. Marggraff jots down some notes while talking with a visitor.

The New York Times - Tech

At the hearing Mr. Stanford, who wore a green prison suit, appeared relaxed while talking with his lawyers.

The New York Times

Mr. Merah made his comments about improvising the school attack while talking with a negotiator during the standoff.

The New York Times

While talking with her in my office, I suggested that maybe she would enjoy having a job.

The Economist

He is dour about the brethren's obscenities and profanities while talking with one another on CB radio.

The New Yorker

While talking with a crowd of schoolchildren, he asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up.

The New York Times

She died of a heart attack while talking with her son, her family announced to the Brazilian news media.

The New York Times

Beer is readily available in most road clubhouses, and players sometimes drink while talking with the news media.

The New York Times - Sports

I don't want to be away from Blaise that long.' " Holding Blaise against her right hip a few minutes later while talking with reporters, Beard grew teary.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "while talking with" to clearly indicate simultaneous actions during a conversation. This provides a natural and straightforward way to describe events happening concurrently. For example, "He took notes while talking with the client."

Common error

Avoid using "while talking with" when the timing is not truly simultaneous. If the action happened immediately before or after the conversation, rephrase to clarify the sequence of events. For example, instead of "He made the decision while talking with her" (implying the decision happened during), consider "He made the decision after talking with her."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "while talking with" functions as a conjunction phrase, indicating that two actions are happening simultaneously. It connects the act of speaking to another action or state, providing a temporal relationship between them. Ludwig examples confirm its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Wiki

20%

Science

19%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "while talking with" is a grammatically sound and very common conjunction phrase used to indicate simultaneous activities during a conversation. According to Ludwig, the phrase is correct and usable. Its primary function is to connect actions temporally, providing context to a narrative. While its register is generally neutral, it's important to ensure clarity in the timing of events to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "during a conversation with" or "as I spoke with" can be used depending on the desired nuance. Remember to focus on its primary usage of describing simultaneous actions for best effect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

speaking with

A more concise way of saying "while talking with", focusing on the act of speaking.

during a conversation with

Replaces "while talking with" with a more formal phrasing, emphasizing the conversational context.

in conversation with

Similar to "during a conversation with" but slightly more concise.

as I spoke with

Indicates an action occurring concurrently with the act of speaking.

whilst in discussion with

A more formal and slightly archaic alternative to "while talking with".

when conversing with

Uses the more formal verb "converse" to describe the act of talking.

over a discussion with

Highlights that something happened during the course of a discussion.

in dialogue with

Suggests a more structured and purposeful conversation.

as we chatted with

Emphasizes a more informal and friendly conversation.

during our chat with

Similar to "as we chatted with" but uses a noun phrase to describe the conversation.

FAQs

How can I use "while talking with" in a sentence?

Use "while talking with" to indicate that an action occurred simultaneously during a conversation. For example: "She smiled while talking with her friend."

What are some alternatives to "while talking with"?

You can use alternatives like "during a conversation with", "as I spoke with", or "in conversation with" depending on the context.

Is it ever incorrect to use "while talking with"?

It's technically correct, but avoid using "while talking with" if the actions weren't truly simultaneous. If an event occurred immediately before or after, clarify the sequence by saying "before talking with" or "after talking with".

What's the difference between "while talking with" and "during a conversation with"?

"While talking with" emphasizes the act of speaking and doing something simultaneously, whereas "during a conversation with" simply indicates an event happened at some point within the conversation. The difference is subtle, but "while talking with" implies a more direct connection between the talking and the other activity.