How do you handle multiple verbs in this situation?


From what I understand, the final verb determines the reference time of the
sentence, but I'm a little confused on how to handle the sequence of verbs
with the たりする construction here (particularly after following a stem of
another verb):

> カラカラと氷を鳴らしながら、彼女は麦茶に口をつけ、グラスの側面を頬に当てたりもしていた

The way I'm interpreting it, 口をつけ is seen as the verb in focus, while たりもしていた
is simply listing any action(s) done alongside with it. But when considering
ながら here, it becomes even more confusing how to make sense of the order here.
Can someone provide clarification, or possibly correct any misunderstandings I
might have. Thank you.




I believe a suitable translation would be:

> While rattling around the ice, she tasted the barley tea and even did things
> like pressing the side of the glass against her cheek.

If I were actually translating this, I'd probably omit the "did things like".
It is implied in the Japanese but it's somewhat unnatural to include it in
English when only 1 example is cited.

つけ is the 連用形{れんようけい} (masu stem) of つける. In written Japanese, the 連用形 can be
used to join independent clauses in the same manner as the te-form. In this
case, it is showing that the actions happened sequentially. Both つけ and していた
are of equal priority.

I do not believe it is clear in the Japanese whether she was rattling the ice
as she pressed it to her cheek or if the rattling only coincides with tasting.

See: [Masu stem to connecting
sentences](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/41133/masu-stem-to-
connecting-sentences)




I believe a suitable translation would be:

> While rattling around the ice, she tasted the barley tea and even did things
> like pressing the side of the glass against her cheek.

If I were actually translating this, I'd probably omit the "did things like".
It is implied in the Japanese but it's somewhat unnatural to include it in
English when only 1 example is cited.

つけ is the 連用形{れんようけい} (masu stem) of つける. In written Japanese, the 連用形 can be
used to join independent clauses in the same manner as the te-form. In this
case, it is showing that the actions happened sequentially. Both つけ and していた
are of equal priority.

I do not believe it is clear in the Japanese whether she was rattling the ice
as she pressed it to her cheek or if the rattling only coincides with tasting.

See: [Masu stem to connecting
sentences](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/41133/masu-stem-to-
connecting-sentences)

