it fails then when

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it fails then when" is not correct and sounds awkward in written English.
It may be intended to express a condition under which something fails, but the structure is unclear and not commonly used. Example: "The system operates well under normal conditions, but it fails then when the temperature exceeds the limit."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Indeed if it fails, then, when the t is sufficiently large, the energy would be negative.

Boundary Value Problems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Even our language fails, then, when faced with the challenge of alerting future generations to the dangers we have introduced into the world through the use of nuclear power.

The Guardian - Opinion

For opponents of all stripes left, right, pundit elite first it was a public option or nothing, then "I hope he fails," then cheers when the U.S. loses the Olympics–and now criticism when your president wins the Nobel Peace Prize.

Forbes

"When the government fails, then what happens?

The New York Times

When primary path fails then local backup path takes place to continue the communication.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

They failed and then when Herbst was binned in the 71st minute, 13-man Ulster held out for several minutes before they finished with 14 on the park and with the Tigers well beaten and out of Europe.

BBC

If you are playing a song that has a part(s) that you often fail at then when that part comes up, wait till you are in the red, then activate star power.

WikiHow

If we fail, then consider a public plan (when the president may be less popular and the Congress more conservative).

Huffington Post

Born in a place that said it didn't matter that I was black, a woman or that I had been homeless, but if I was willing to work hard, make good choices, and keep striving when I failed then I would be rewarded with an opportunity, an opportunity to achieve my own pursuit of happiness.

Huffington Post

The world failed then, by refusing to exert pressure when pressure was needed.

Independent

Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, in a personal set of guidelines for committing forces to combat, wrote that leaders must quickly judge when diplomacy has failed, then "act forcefully, early, during the pre-crisis period" to foil an attack on the nation.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Rephrasing can avoid awkwardness and improve readability. For example, instead of saying "it fails then when", try "it fails specifically when" or "failure occurs at the point when".

Common error

Avoid combining multiple conditional markers like "then when" as it can make the sentence structure convoluted. Instead, focus on direct and clear phrasing such as "it fails when" to prevent misunderstanding.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it fails then when" attempts to create a conditional statement, indicating a specific point or condition causing failure. However, its structure is non-standard and considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI confirms the awkwardness of this structure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it fails then when" is grammatically incorrect and sounds awkward. While the phrase attempts to convey a conditional relationship, more standard and clearer phrasing should be used, such as "it fails when" or "failure occurs when". Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is not commonly used and is structurally flawed. Prioritizing clarity in writing will help avoid confusion and ensure your message is understood correctly.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it will fail when

Uses 'will' to indicate a future failure under certain conditions.

when it fails, then

Inverts the phrase to start with 'when', creating a standard conditional sentence structure for better flow.

it fails at the point when

Replaces "then when" with a more precise temporal marker, clarifying the timing of the failure.

if it fails, then when

Starts with 'if' to create a clear conditional statement and retains the temporal element using 'then when'.

it fails in cases where

Emphasizes the conditions under which the failure occurs, providing a clearer causal relationship.

it fails specifically when

Adds emphasis to the specific timing or circumstance under which failure occurs.

failure occurs when

Transforms the phrase to a more formal tone, focusing on the occurrence of failure under certain conditions.

if failure happens, then when

Adds emphasis on the hypothetical failure and the specific circumstances using 'then when'.

it is prone to failure when

Introduces the concept of proneness to failure under specific circumstances.

the failure happens when

Transforms the phrase to a passive sentence structure with 'the failure happens'.

FAQs

How can I correctly express a condition under which something fails?

Instead of using the awkward phrase "it fails then when", consider using clearer alternatives like "it fails at the point "when"" or "it fails in cases "where"".

What are some alternatives to "it fails then when" that improve readability?

You can rephrase it as "when it fails, then", which follows a more standard conditional sentence structure, or "failure occurs when".

Is the phrase "it fails then when" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "it fails then when" is grammatically incorrect and considered awkward. It's better to use clearer and more direct phrasing such as "it fails "when"".

What is the difference between "it fails then when" and "it fails when"?

The phrase "it fails then when" is redundant and grammatically awkward. The simpler phrase "it fails "when"" is more direct and clearly indicates the condition under which the failure occurs.