: Re: When vs. If vs. In situation where An excerpt from Microsoft Writing Style Guide, which I'm trying to follow: Use if to express a condition, use whether to express uncertainty, and use when

@Angela458

Vote Up Vote Down

The sentence construction starting with 'if' is correct, both per the style guide and the conventions of 'natural' English. Bullet point #2 shows why. 'Otherwise' implies an alternative course of action is possible, i.e. the first bullet point expresses a condition. Your solution communicates the same information to the reader and is also correct.
In 'natural' English, 'when' sets an expectation considered inevitable:

And when they use our atoms to make new lives, they won't just be able to take one, they'll have to take two, one of you and one of me, we'll be joined so tight...

The taking of atoms to form new lives isn't optional. It will happen at some unspecified point in the future. Ergo, 'when' is used.
In your example, if the user has no other choice than to use key-value pairs, you'd start the sentence with 'when' (and you'd also cut the second bullet point.)

(0)

Login to post a comment!