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: "Appears" or "displays" From:Scott McClare <smcclare -at- DY4 -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 17 Nov 1998 11:14:31 -0500
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michelle Vina-Baltsas [SMTP:Michelle_Vina-Baltsas -at- US -dot- CRAWCO -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 17, 1998 10:52 AM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:
>
>Hello All!
>
>Which is the correct, appears or displays? Is it a matter of
>preference or is one grammatically correct?
>
>1) The imported information appears in a table.
>
>or
>
>2) The imported information displays in a table.
I personally don't like either, because information doesn't really
"appear," "display," or *do* anything other than be there.
Try, "The following table lists the imported information," or whatever
variation thereof bets fits your context.
Take care,
Scott
--
Scott McClare - Technical Writer
DY 4 Systems Inc., Kanata, Ontario, Canada
(613) 599-9199 x502 smcclare -at- dy4 -dot- com
Opinions are my own