by R. S. Karunaratne

Use of 'when' in speech and writing

'When' is a question adverb, conjunction and a relative adverb.

1. We use 'when' to ask questions about the times of things.

When is lunch?

When will he come?

When will you be writing the essay?

When can we meet?

When are they coming from London?

2. We use 'when' to ask indirect questions.

Do you know when the train leaves?

I asked him when the next intake would take place.

I do not know when he comes.

We didn't know what to do when it rained.

You can answer when the phone rings.

3. We use 'when' to talk about the time for doing things.

He did not know when to play.

You should know when to talk to him.

The advertisement does not say when to apply.

You must know when to laugh.

Do you know when to remain silent?

4. We use 'when' to talk about future events.

When we cross the bridge they will receive us.

When you pass your examination you will get a job.

When the clock strikes nine the lecture will start.

When you have an ambition you will try to achieve it.

When prices go up they will never come down.

5. We use 'when' for routine work.

Switch off the lights when you leave.

Keep a watch on valuables when you travel.

Do not talk when you eat.

Do not spit on the road when you travel.

When in doubt leave it out.

Collocations

'When' often follows certain nouns.

Can you remember the day when you went to school for the first time?

This is one occasion when you have to wear a tie.

Christmas is a season when children rejoice.

What can the patients do in cases when doctors go on strike?

7. Set phrases

Since when have you had a headache? (How long)

Please come home when you like.

I usually do not wear a sari, but when in Rome... (when in Rome do as Romans do.)

Activity

Put in 'when' in the following sentences and check your answers with the key.

1. What happened she jumped into the pond?

2. Even he caught a few, they were very small ones.

3. The fish appeared he told it that he wished for a house.

4. They stopped for a rest a snake appeared.

5. Did he decide to take his sons with him?

6. Was the youngest son really foolish?

7. Did the trader want to go to another town?

8. Did the king call himself an emperor?

9. Did the two thieves buy rich clothes?

10. Did you go out?

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[Key]

1. What happened when she jumped into the pond?

2. Even when he caught a few, they were very small ones.

3. When the fish appeared he told it that he wished for a house.

4. When they stopped for a rest, a snake appeared.

5. When did he decide to take his sons with him?

6. When was the youngest son really foolish?7. When did the trader want to go to another town?

8. When did the king call himself an emperor?

9. When did the two thieves buy rich clothes?

10. When did you go out?

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Current English usage

English is a living language and it is subject to changes from time to time. Here's help for you to keep in touch with the latest trends in the language.

1. Concave and convex

Concave means 'curved inwards' like the inside of a spoon. Convex means 'curved outwards' as in the outside of a spoon.

2. Conducive

Conducive means 'contributing to'. It is always followed by the preposition 'to'. The present condition of the country is conducive to investment.

3. Confidant and confident

Confidant is someone you trust.

The king had a few ministers who were his confidants.

Confident means 'having confidence'

Are you confident of success?

4. Conform

When conform is followed by the preposition 'to' it means 'to comply with'

You have to conform to government regulations.

When conform is followed by the preposition 'with', it means 'to agree with'

Your ideas do not conform with those of your colleagues.

5. Connection and connexion

These are two different spellings of the same word meaning 'a relationship between two events. However, connection is more popular than connexion.

6. connoisseur

Note the spelling: double 'n', double 's' and 'oi' in between. It means 'somebody who has a specialised knowledge of a subject'.

Raj was a connoisseur of ballet.

7. Conscientious

Note the 't' before 'ious'. It means diligent and careful'.

We need more conscientious public servants.

8. Connote and denote

Connote means 'to suggest something in addition to the meaning of a word. For instance, 'mother' connotes 'love and kindness'.

Denote means 'to indicate'.

'Mother' denotes 'a woman who has given birth to a child'.

9. Consequent and subsequent

Consequent means 'following as a direct result'.

Bob claimed damages for the accident and consequent injuries.

Subsequent means 'happening after'.

Hema's arrival and her subsequent early departure puzzle me.

10. contagious and infectious

Contagious means 'passed on by physical contact.'

Most skin diseases are contagious.

Infectious means caused by airborne or waterborne microorganisms'.

The common cold is infectious.

Starters

Active and Passive voice

A sentence that begins with a person or thing that does the action is in the active voice. The sentence must have an active verb.

The dog bit the child.

The mechanic repaired the bus.

A sentence that begins with a person or thing that receives the action is in the passive voice. The sentence must have a passive verb.

The child was bitten by the dog.

The bus was repaired by the mechanic.

Passive verbs are formed in the follwing way:

The verb 'to be' the past participle of the main verb.

The blackboard was cleaned by the teacher.

The robbers were arrested by the police.

In a sentence using the passive voice, the object comes after the verb and the prepostion 'by'.

Buses are repaired by mechanics.

Some verbs have the same form for the past tense and the past participle.

Present tense : catch

Past tense and past participle : caught

Other examples are:

teach - taught - taught

feed - fed - fed

hear - heard - heard

keep - kept - kept

sweep - swept - swept

sleep - slept - slept

buy - bought - bought

laugh - laughed - laughed

walk - walked - walked

creep - crept - crept

Some verbs have different forms for the past tense and the past participle.

eat - ate - eaten

beat - beat - beaten

fly - flew - flown

take - took - taken

write - wrote - written

hide - hid - hidden

drive - drove - driven etc.

Activity

State whether the follwing sentences are right or wrong. Check your answers with the key,

1. The doctor was examined by the patient.

2. My uncle smokes a pipe.

3. A herd of elephants was spotted by the cameraman.

4. Father is managed the factory.

5. The kitten bitten by the dog.

6. The pickpocket questioned the police.

7. We were served by an efficient waiter.

8. Flood victims want food.

9. She was poured the tea into cups.

10.Boys are attended by judo clubs.

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[Key]

1. Wrong 2. right 3. right 4. wrong 5. wrong 6. wrong 7. right 8. right 9. wrong 10.wrong

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