looked or looking

[CreationWillL]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

Looked is singular. Looking is durative.

 

[Succubiome]

To the best of my knowledge:
Either would work, and you can mix their use.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

In this case looked is more correct. Even if "was looking" is okay here it is generally better to use the least words. Cutting out "was" here is better. I probably wouldn't even use "very". And leading the second part of the sentence with "was looking" would work better with something like: "he was looking around nervously."

 

[georgelee5786]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

'Looked' is the correct form.

 

[TsumiHokiro]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

Is this all of the sentence? If it is, both are grammatically correct. There is no problem whatsoever using either one or the other. It all depends on the idea you want to give your readers. The "was looking" will make people assume for more, however, hence why people will tell you it is not "correct." If someone "was" something, readers will logically necessitate a complement for it. Syntactically, however, that is not a requirement, and you could have it complemented in another sentence, or not complement. It might be that the complement will come in the form of a dialogue, of an action scene etc.

If you do not plan to complement the sentence, the "looked" alternative, in this case, gives closure. It does not ask for a complement. It will resolve itself then and there. Though, if you decide to complement the phrase, it will not be a mistake.

 

[CreationWillL]

In this case looked is more correct. Even if "was looking" is okay here it is generally better to use the least words. Cutting out "was" here is better. I probably wouldn't even use "very". And leading the second part of the sentence with "was looking" would work better with something like: "he was looking around nervously."

Is this all of the sentence? If it is, both are grammatically correct. There is no problem whatsoever using either one or the other. It all depends on the idea you want to give your readers. The "was looking" will make people assume for more, however, hence why people will tell you it is not "correct." If someone "was" something, readers will logically necessitate a complement for it. Syntactically, however, that is not a requirement, and you could have it complemented in another sentence, or not complement. It might be that the complement will come in the form of a dialogue, of an action scene etc.

If you do not plan to complement the sentence, the "looked" alternative, in this case, gives closure. It does not ask for a complement. It will resolve itself then and there. Though, if you decide to complement the phrase, it will not be a mistake.

Just an example sentence

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Just an example sentence

What I said still applies. Keep it as concise as possible. Say more with less, but you can use both.

He was looking out of a window at the street below.

He looked down at the street below from his window.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Which of the following is correct? And if both would work, would I have to specialize in one of the two, or could I mix them? So sometimes the tense with looked, and sometimes with looking.

"I saw him two weeks ago. I waited for him half an hour in a restaurant. When he finally arrived, he looked/was looking very embarrassed.".

Sigh, have to return here once more because nobody here seems to cite actual grammar.

Looked is past simple. Past simple denotes a concluded singular action in the past without connection to the present.

Was looking is past continuous. It expresses a continuous action. The tense has a durative character, emphasising the duration.

Thus looked/was looking has very different meanings.

Looked means in this specific moment he was embarrassed. Not before. Not afterwards. The action has an end.

Was looking means that he was embarrassed for a certain unspecified period of time.

So depending on your register, you can choose.

 

[J_Chemist]

Looked.

 

[OatMush]

he be looking
correct if narrator is pirate