W HEN

 When is a wh-word. We use when to ask questions, as a conjunction and to introduce relative
clauses.

A. When as a question word

We can use when to ask for information about what time something happens:

Example: When did you leave?

When will you know the result of the exam?

B. We can use when in indirect questions:

Example: She asked me when I would be ready to start the job.

I wonder when the new computers will arrive.

C. When as a conjunction

We use when as a conjunction meaning ‘at the time that’. The clause with when is a subordinate
clause (sc) and needs a main clause (mc) to complete its meaning. If the when-clause comes before
the main clause, we use a comma.

Example:

Talking about the past

[SC] [MC]

When I was young, there were no houses here.

[MC] [SC]

Nobody spoke when she came into the room.

Talking about the present

When you start the engine, there’s a strange noise.

Talking about the future

In references to the future with when, we use the present simple or the present perfect in the when-
clause, not the future with shall and will:

Example:

When the new park opens, I’ll go there every day.

D. We can use when as a conjunction to mean ‘considering that’:

What’s the point in going out when we have to be home by eleven o’clock?

E. When as a relative pronoun

We can use when as a relative pronoun in relative clauses:

Example: That was the week when we booked our holiday.

The parcel arrived in the post at 11 am, when I was still at work.

F. Since when?

We can use since when to ask at what time something began. We often use it as a response
when we are surprised that something has begun:

Example:

A: Hilary’s working at the Art Museum now.

B: Really? Since when?

A: Oh, she’s been there about three months.

Warning:

Using Since when at the start of a question can express anger or sarcasm, example:

[talking about children watching television]

A: Maybe you should try not to let them watch so much television.

B: Since when are you an expert on childcare? (This is very direct.)

G. When or if?

We use when to refer to a future situation or condition that we are certain of, whereas we use if
to introduce a possible or unreal situation.

Comparison

When I see Gary, I’ll tell him that you said hello.

Means that I will definitely see Gary.

 If I see Gary, I’ll tell him that you said hello.

Means that I may see Gary but I am not certain.

H. When or since?

We use when to mean ‘(at) the time that’. We use since to refer to a particular time in the past
until another time or until now:

I had a great time when I went to the coast.

I have been having a boring time since I came back home.

I. When: typical errors

 Be careful not to use when instead of if:

If you arrive too late, you are not allowed to take the examination because they don’t accept
late enrolment.

 Be careful not to use when instead of since:

I was very surprised to see him because it’s been a long time since I last saw him.

 We don’t use will after when to mean ‘at that time’:

When I start college, I’ll miss my old school friends.