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> "Nero played music while Rome was burning."
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I just copied it from one English workbook for primary school. If it was **watched, saw**... I would take it as correct. This really bothers me, I cannot think of any grammar rule that this sentence makes correct, perhaps I am wrong.

I am confused since the book is for 7th graders and they are just about to learn the basic form like...a simple somehow 'interrupts' or 'stops' a long action in continuous form ( just basic like she broke her arm while she was skiing) it never occurred to me it actually is present participle....

It is why I mention see and watch as in 'I saw them playing, running..)

I still cannot grasp Nero one since there must be some other ways it to be described...yes that lack of connection...

Wouldn't it be easier to say that he played/was playing while watching the burning Rome?