Question 1

Why does в продолжение end in -е instead of -и?

Accepted Answer

Even though it looks like the preposition в followed by the prepositional case, в продолжение is a fixed compound preposition meaning during or throughout, and it always ends in -е. You only use в продолжении with an -и when referring to the literal continuation of something, like a sequel to a book or a TV series.

Question 2

What case is required after в продолжение?

Accepted Answer

Compound prepositions of duration like в продолжение and в течение require the Genitive case. This is why the nominative masculine noun шторм takes the Genitive ending -а to become шторма.

Question 3

Could I use в течение instead of в продолжение here?

Accepted Answer

Yes, they are practically interchangeable when meaning during an event. However, в продолжение often emphasizes the unfolding process of an event (like a storm), whereas в течение is slightly more standard for measured amounts of time, like hours or weeks.

Question 4

What is the difference between using из-за страха and от страха in this context?

Accepted Answer

They are very close in meaning here, but there is a slight nuance. The preposition от is typically used for involuntary physical reactions, like trembling or freezing. Using из-за страха points to fear as the logical, external reason why the sailors made the choice to keep quiet.

Question 5

Why is the verb молчали imperfective?

Accepted Answer

The imperfective aspect is used because the silence was an ongoing state that lasted the whole time the storm was happening. When you use duration prepositions like в продолжение to express that an action filled an entire period, the accompanying verb is almost always imperfective.

В продолжение шторма матросы молчали из-за страха.

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