ながら の 使い方

[kristinwold]

Hello,
In the Unicom JLPT 3 kyuu prep book ながらis discussed. The following caution is given, (which admittedly I don't understand)
「〜ている」をつけると　状態　を表す動詞　は「ながら｣　と一緒 に 使うことが できない。
Then I'm told that the sentence:
電車に乗りながら　新聞を読みます。is not correct usage of ながら and that instead you would have to say:
電車に乗って，新聞を読みます。

A friend told me she's heard, 電車に乗りながら、何をしますか and now wonders if maybe this is improper grammar.

I can't figure out what is wrong with the first sentence, based on similar sentences I've seen which seem to follow the same pattern. (If you have the book, it's on page 150).

Many thanks,
Kristin

[Javizy]

「〜ている」をつけると　状態　を表す動詞　は「ながら｣　と一緒 に 使うことが できない。

It means you can't use ながら with verbs expressing a state when put into the ~ている form, like 知っている. Actually, you can but it changes the meaning to 'although', a 2級 expression.

Then I'm told that the sentence:
電車に乗りながら　新聞を読みます。is not correct usage of ながら and that instead you would have to say:
電車に乗って，新聞を読みます

My dictionary says the same thing, but gives the verb 座る as an example. It says ながら should be used with verbs 'expressing a continuous action.' You don't continue getting on or sitting down, you end up in a state of riding or sitting, so it's related to the point above. The only confusing part is the translation, so try to think more in terms of action vs state and forget about 'while'.

[kristinwold]

Thank you so much for that clear explanation. Quite the subtle grammar point!
Kristin