by Jennie Ruby
Is where and is when are expressions we sometimes use in spoken English to explain something or give the definition of something. You might hear someone say, "An adjustable mortgage is where you start out paying a certain percentage of interest on a loan, but the percentage can change over time." Or you might hear, "Love is when the score is tied in tennis."
The problem with these expressions is that they more accurately refer to place or time, not to definitions. Here are some examples that use them correctly:
- The recycling bin is where you place used cans and bottles.
- Next Tuesday is when the new swimming pool will open.
If you are writing about a thing or a process, stay away from these expressions. Here are some alternatives:
- Not: Feathering is where you add small amounts of space between lines to fill out a column.
Use: Feathering is the process of adding small amounts of space between lines to fill out a column.
- Not: Sending and receiving is when you make the program retrieve new messages from the server.
Use: The Send/Receive tool causes the program to retrieve new message from the server.
Speaking and writing have different rules–this one is for added accuracy in writing.
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Join Jennie online where she'll be teaching Writing Training Documents and eLearning Scripts.
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About the Author: Jennie Ruby is a veteran IconLogic trainer and author with titles such as "Editing with Word 2003 and Acrobat 7" and "Editing with MS Word 2007" to her credit. Jennie specializes in electronic editing. At the American Psychological Association, she was manager of electronic publishing and manager of technical editing and journal production. Jennie has an M.A. from George Washington University and is a Certified Technical Trainer (Chauncey Group). She is a publishing professional with 20 years of experience in writing, editing and desktop publishing.