while we were entering, as we entered

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Tukanja
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while we were entering, as we entered

Post by Tukanja »

I came across this sentences below

She put the coin down in front of the car.
As we were entering the post office I saw a small boy pick up the coin.


Is it also possible to say

While we were entering the post office I saw a small boy pick up the coin.

and also

As we entered the post office I saw a small boy pick up the coin.

Also why not

a small boy picks up the coin.

Is maybe pick up the present subjunctive here? If not what the pick up grammatically is?

Thanks
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Joe
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Re: while we were entering, as we entered

Post by Joe »

While we were entering the post office I saw a small boy pick up the coin.
As we entered the post office I saw a small boy pick up the coin.


The above are equally possible.

In this construction (see/hear/feel somebody do something), the second verb is the bare infinitive. The first verb is conjugated normally:
Every day she sees a bird fly in the window.
Yesterday we saw a bird fly in the window.
When you enter you will see a bird fly in the window.


Unless you particularly want to express "continuous" action, in which case use the bare continuous infinitive:
Every day she sees two boys fighting in the street.
Yesterday we saw two boys fighting in the street.
When you enter you will see two boys fighting on the stairs.
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