Sentence meaning simple present tense

Question

I am unable to understand meaning of below sentense .

Does this sentence indicates both the events i.e. effect of poison and writhing were simultaneously happening

a) For six hours, 20-year-old Sushma writhed in agony on the floor as the poison did its work.

Hense my Versoin is

b) For six hours, 20-year-old Sushma was writhing in agony on the floor as the poison had done its work.

This is because it was effect of poison which made her writhed on floor. So first action would be effect of poison and later writhing.

In general "X as Y" means "at the same time". So yes, the poison was taking effect at the same time as she was writhing. — stangdon, Commented Mar 2, 2018 at 16:44
If the poison had done its work, then why is Sushma writhing. She would either be dead or recovered. — James K, Commented Mar 2, 2018 at 18:39

StoneyB on hiatus · Accepted Answer · 2018-03-02 16:36:49Z

2

Did in the context of an as or while clause is non-perfective: that is, it implies a continuous activity rather than a completed action.

In this case, the poison is "doing its work" throughout the six-hour period: it is continuously causing her to writhe in agony.

answered Mar 2, 2018 at 16:36

StoneyB on hiatus

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