TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: if and when... From:"Arlen P. Walker" <Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 30 Jun 1995 07:00:00 -0600
I've checked the NYT MoS, the Chicago MoS, Webster's 10th Collegiate,
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, the Oxford American Dictionary, and a
few "writing" books trying to find the easy-to-remember-and-follow
rule of when to use "if" and when to use "when" <if?/when?> I use a
conditional clause.
"If" implies an event may not ever happen. "When" implies the event is
inevitable. If it's possible that a truck may never be "ready", then "If" is the
right word. Otherwise use "When ...."
Have fun,
Arlen
arlen -dot- p -dot- walker -at- jci -dot- com
-----------------------------------------------
In God we trust, all others must supply data
-----------------------------------------------
