1. We played speaking English at the camp.
2. We practiced speaking English at the camp.
(Are both expressions correct? Any difference? Does #1 mean "We played while we spoke English."?)
The second one is correct.
The first one is not quite the same as the one you put at the end in parentheses. The word "while" makes a big difference.
Thank you,
1. We played speaking English at the camp.
(Is this also grammatical? And the meaning is...?)
It is as if you were playing a game of speaking English, rather like playing "cops and robbers" or some other game.
Technically, it's grammatically correct, but its meaning is fuzzy.
Both expressions are correct, but they have slightly different meanings.
1. "We played speaking English at the camp." This sentence suggests that while the activity was primarily focused on playing, the participants also spoke English during the play. It implies that spoken English was involved as part of the playing experience.
2. "We practiced speaking English at the camp." This sentence suggests that the primary objective of the activity at the camp was to practice and improve English speaking skills through specific exercises or activities.
So, the main difference between the two sentences is the focus. In the first sentence, playing is the primary activity, with speaking English as a secondary aspect. Whereas in the second sentence, the primary activity is practicing and improving English speaking skills.