when you receive

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "when you receive" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when you are referring to something that will be received in the future. For example: When you receive the package, please call us immediately.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Say thank you when you receive help.

Harvard University

What do you do when you receive the music?

The New York Times - Arts

Rabbi, please respond when you receive this tweet.

The New Yorker

"They should tax you when you receive money".

The New York Times

Your account will be updated when you receive your offers.

The Guardian

"And when you receive the ball it's another decision.

The Guardian - Sport

When you receive a B.L.T., everybody knows about it.

Harvard Business Review

When you receive unreasonable letters, don't respond in kind.

Harvard Business Review

When you receive a refund, look at your bill carefully.

Cornell University

But they say that sometimes what happens when you receive fame is that you're excluded.

Independent

What happens when you receive a message or a call?

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing instructions or guidelines, follow "when you receive" with a clear and actionable step to ensure the recipient understands what to do next. For example, "When you receive the email, click the link to confirm your registration."

Common error

Avoid using future tense after "when you receive". It's grammatically incorrect to say "when you will receive". Instead, use the present tense to describe the action of receiving, followed by the future action. Correct: "When you receive the package, you will need to sign for it." Incorrect: "When you will receive the package, you will need to sign for it."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "when you receive" functions as a subordinating conjunction, introducing a dependent clause that specifies the timing or condition for the main clause. Ludwig AI indicates it's grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

30%

Wiki

30%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "when you receive" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed construction used to establish a conditional relationship between the act of receiving something and a subsequent action or event. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage across diverse contexts, with News & Media, Academia, and Wiki being the most frequent. When employing this phrase, it's crucial to use the present tense correctly to avoid tense errors and ensure a clear, actionable sequence is articulated. For alternative phrasing, consider "upon receipt of" or "after getting", depending on the intended formality and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

once you have received

Highlights the completion of the receiving action.

upon receipt of

Emphasizes the moment something is received; more formal.

on receiving

More concise and formal way to express 'when you receive'.

after getting

Informal alternative focusing on the action of obtaining.

as soon as you get

Focuses on immediacy after receiving something, less formal.

when you are given

Highlights that someone is giving you something.

should you receive

More formal, suggests possibility of receiving.

if you happen to receive

Indicates less expectation of receiving.

in the event that you receive

A formal and less common phrasing.

as you receive

Describes a continuous receiving action.

FAQs

How to use "when you receive" in a sentence?

Use "when you receive" to set a condition for a subsequent action. For example, "When you receive the email, please confirm your registration" or "When you receive the package, inspect it for damage".

What can I say instead of "when you receive"?

Alternatives include "upon receipt of", "after getting", or "once you have received", depending on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it correct to say "when you will receive"?

No, it is not grammatically correct. The correct construction is "when you receive". Using "will" after "when" creates a redundant future tense.

What's the difference between "when you receive" and "if you receive"?

"When you receive" implies a greater likelihood or expectation of receiving something, while "if you receive" suggests a possibility that something might be received but is not guaranteed.