I’ve become a fan of both The Voice and The Biggest Loser. Yes, it is true. However, the grammar on both shows’ latest seasons has me pulling my hair out.
Let’s begin with The Voice, in which the judges begin with their backs to the singing contestants and only turn around if they like what they hear. One of the judges last season repeatedly uttered a cringe-inducing variation of the following statement:
“Whenever I heard you sing, I just knew I had to turn my chair around.”
WRONG.
Whenever is used to indicate something that happened, or happens, with regularity over time. Following are some correct examples.
Past tense:
Present tense:
*Note: “When” and “whenever” are interchangeable when the meaning is “at any time,” which includes the above and following examples:
When is used as above but also for something that happens or happened just once. Following are some correct examples.
Past tense:
Present tense:
In these examples, when and whenever are not interchangeable.
Let’s move on to The Biggest Loser, where a contestant had come to terms with her grandmother’s getting voted off the show. She told the camera she was “okay with it whenever it happened.”
I wasn’t! You see why?
-Maria
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