all of a sudden

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1
  1. I was walking down the street when, all of a sudden, it started raining.
  2. When I was walking down the street, all of a sudden, it started raining.
  3. When I was walking down the street, it started raining all of a sudden.
    Please correct and comment.
    Thanks.
2

Each one is acceptable. There is a slight difference when #1 is compared to the rest, though.

3

Anglophile,
Could you please explain the difference in meaning between #1 and the rest?
Thanks.

4
  1. When I was walking down the street, all of a sudden it started raining. >-- I have removed one of the commas as it was incorrect.

For me, (1) and (2) have the sdame meaning.
(3) is a little ‘off’ - I would use this wording:
I was walking down the street when all of a sudden it started raining.

In each case ‘all of a sudden’ can be replaced by ‘suddenly’.

Also note that ‘sudden’ rain would be very unlikely in most climates. Most of the time, you know it is on the way!

5

You walked down when it rained.
It rained when you walked down.

6

I don’t see that.
You were walking down the street before it started raining in both cases. Walking down the street was not the reason for the rain. Neither was the fact that it rained the reason for walking down the street.

I think that is ‘a nuance too far’.