tends when

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "tends when" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It is not a standard expression and may confuse readers due to its lack of clarity and context. Example: "He tends when he feels overwhelmed." (This example is awkward and unclear.)

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

One is a bundle of orange branches from home, which he plants on a windy hillside above the fishing village and lovingly tends when his day's work is done.

The New York Times - Books

Most CMIP3 and CMIP5 models are able to simulate this rainfall band, but it tends, when averaged over all the model results, to be too zonal rather than diagonal as observed.

Geoscience Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

His judgments could be as idiosyncratic as anyone's, and he tended, when negative, toward the absolute.

The New Yorker

"She was always enterprising," said her father, who gave her chicks to tend when she was just a girl.

The New York Times

His desire to remain accessible – to belong – meant that he tended, when celebrating victories in Las Vegas, to join his supporters in a popular Irish bar.

Independent

Other companies tend, when presenting world premieres amid mixed bills, to reassure audiences by making classics or pre-1900 music part of the fare.

The New York Times - Arts

Few studies have examined the relationship between type of symptoms and mortality in community populations, tending, when done, to focus on respiratory and depressive symptoms.

BMC Health Services Research

The Cannes audience responded as it tends to when goaded, with bellicose jeers and boos.

The New York Times

Gingrich, he explained, diligently remembers the words "tends to" when quoting Lord Acton's oft-abridged dictum on power.

The New Yorker

It is greater than in all cases and tends to when and.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

He had waited tables and tended bars when necessary.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "tends when" in your writing. Instead, opt for more grammatically correct alternatives such as "tends to happen when" or "usually occurs when" for clarity and precision.

Common error

A common mistake is to directly follow "tends" with "when" without the necessary intervening words like "to" or "to happen". This creates an ungrammatical construction that can confuse readers. Always ensure a proper verb phrase follows "tends" before introducing a conditional clause with "when".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "tends when" attempts to link a tendency with a conditional situation, but functions poorly due to its ungrammatical structure. As Ludwig AI indicates, it's not a standard expression. The correct form usually involves using "tends to" or "tends to happen" before introducing a conditional clause with "when".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "tends when" is grammatically incorrect and should be avoided in both formal and informal writing. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's not a standard English expression and may confuse readers. While it attempts to convey a tendency under certain conditions, it lacks the necessary grammatical structure to do so effectively. Instead, use alternatives such as "tends to happen when", "usually occurs when", or other similar constructions to ensure clarity and correctness. The most authoritative sources do not frequently use this phrase, further suggesting its non-standard nature.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tends to happen when

Adds "to happen" to clarify the action, replacing the original conjunction with a more complete verb phrase.

usually happens when

Replaces "tends" with "usually happens" for a stronger indication of frequency under certain conditions.

typically occurs when

Substitutes "tends" with "typically occurs", formalizing the tone and emphasizing the conditional relationship.

is likely to when

Expresses probability using "is likely to", changing the phrasing while maintaining a conditional aspect.

often arises when

Uses "often arises" to indicate frequency and emergence under specific circumstances, altering the verb choice.

commonly appears when

Replaces "tends" with "commonly appears", focusing on the appearance of something under certain conditions.

has a tendency to when

Adds "has a tendency to", emphasizing the inclination towards something under specific conditions.

generally does when

Uses "generally does" to express a common action or state under certain conditions, simplifying the phrase.

is prone to when

Substitutes "tends" with "is prone to", indicating a susceptibility to something under specific conditions.

is inclined to when

Replaces "tends" with "is inclined to", suggesting a natural disposition towards something under certain conditions.

FAQs

What is the correct way to use "tends" in a sentence that includes a conditional situation?

The correct phrasing is typically "tends to" or "tends to happen" followed by the condition. For example, "It "tends to happen when" it rains" is preferable to "tends when it rains".

Are there alternatives to "tends when" that are more grammatically sound?

Yes, alternatives like "usually occurs when", "typically happens when", or "often arises when" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning.

Why is "tends when" considered grammatically incorrect?

The phrase "tends when" is incorrect because it omits the necessary "to" that should follow "tends" to create a proper verb phrase. Without "to", the sentence structure is incomplete and doesn't conform to standard English grammar.

Can "tends when" ever be considered acceptable in informal writing?

While it might occasionally appear in informal contexts, "tends when" is generally discouraged even in casual writing due to its lack of grammatical correctness. It's best to use more standard phrasing like "tends to when" for clarity.