date of when

USAGE SUMMARY

"date of when" is not correct and should not be used in written English.
It is redundant since the word "when" implies the concept of a date. A better way to phrase it would be "What date?" For example, "What date do the renovations have to be finished by?".

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

34 human-written examples

But the exact dates -- I cannot pinpoint that exact date of when the President was told.

The Washington Post

I don't know the exact date of when it was written.

Independent

"What the deadline does is give us a firm date of when that has to get done.

The New York Times - Sports

They want an absolute "drop-dead" date of when the system will finally be too broke to pay bills.

The New York Times

"The beauty of the data is that, unlike trying to monitor fish out in the Caribbean, say, you know exactly the time stamp and date of when people join guilds and when they leave.

The Guardian - Tech

Hanna's name was first mentioned in the Ethiopian Reporter (Amharic edition) 15 days after her death, replete with inaccuracies such as an incorrect date of when she was attacked.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

26 human-written examples

But police are understood not to have been given specific dates of when the abuse took place.

The Guardian

Perino said Monday that an agreement with "an aspirational time horizon" could include dates of when Iraqi security forces should be able to take control of given provinces.

The Washington Post

The Shorter calls itself a historical dictionary, and it sets out to record every word used in English since 1700, with the dates of when each was first uttered or written and what it meant at the time.

The New York Times

We have told them the dates of when players report back and when they season starts.

BBC

To do that, Samantha would need to have accurate close dates of when she thinks her deals will close.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "date of when" in formal writing. Opt for more concise and grammatically correct alternatives like "date on which" or "when".

Common error

Do not use "date of when" because it's redundant. "When" already implies a date or time, so using "date of" is unnecessary and grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "date of when" functions as a nominal phrase attempting to specify a point in time. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically incorrect due to redundancy, as "when" already implies a temporal context. Its usage is generally discouraged.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Academia

23%

Wiki

21%

Less common in

Science

18%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "date of when" appears in a variety of sources, Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. "When" already implies a temporal reference, making "date of" unnecessary. For clearer and more accurate writing, it's best to use alternatives like "date on which" or simply "when", depending on the context. Though fairly common, the phrase's grammatical flaws make it unsuitable for formal or precise communication. Consider using "date on which" for better accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

date on which

Replaces 'of when' with 'on which', providing a more grammatically sound relative clause.

specific date that

Replaces 'of when' with 'that', clarifying the desire for a particular date.

time when

Focuses on the temporal aspect, using 'time' instead of 'date', suitable when the exact date is less important than the moment.

the time that

Similar to "time when", but using "the time" for more specificity.

day that

Simplifies the structure using 'day' and 'that', suitable for informal contexts.

point in time that

Emphasizes a specific moment, suitable when precision is needed.

exact moment when

Highlights the precision of the timing, adding emphasis to a specific instance.

occasion when

Focuses on the event or occurrence, using 'occasion' to broaden the context.

period when

Indicates a span of time rather than a specific date, useful for approximate timing.

juncture at which

Provides a more formal and precise alternative, suitable for technical or legal contexts.

FAQs

Why is "date of when" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "date of when" is considered incorrect because it's redundant. The word "when" already implies a time or date, making the addition of "date of" unnecessary.

What are some alternatives to "date of when"?

Instead of "date of when", you can use phrases like "date on which", "time when", or simply use the word "when" if the context already implies a date.

Is it acceptable to use "date of when" in informal conversation?

While it might be understood in informal conversation, it's best to avoid using "date of when" even in casual settings. Using grammatically correct alternatives enhances clarity.

Which is correct: "date of when" or "date on which"?

"Date on which" is the correct and grammatically sound phrase. "Date of when" is redundant and should be avoided.