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MrPernickety Posted 17 years ago
Vocabulary
Being used v.s. in use
Hi,
I'm having a hard time figuring out which one to pick. The situation is as follows:
There is a row in a datatable that I want to delete, but another "participant" makes use of it, so this row is locked for deletion. Just the same, I am not aware of that participant and try to delete it - at this time the system should apprise me of the fact that I can't do so. What should be the message of apprisal?
1. You cannot delete the row as it is being used (suggested by my co-worker, I'm not in favor of it)
2. You cannot delete the row as it is in use (my suggestion)
Please, have a pick (I'd like to know a native speaker's opinion on this)
Thanks a bunch !
I'm having a hard time figuring out which one to pick. The situation is as follows:
There is a row in a datatable that I want to delete, but another "participant" makes use of it, so this row is locked for deletion. Just the same, I am not aware of that participant and try to delete it - at this time the system should apprise me of the fact that I can't do so. What should be the message of apprisal?
1. You cannot delete the row as it is being used (suggested by my co-worker, I'm not in favor of it)
2. You cannot delete the row as it is in use (my suggestion)
Please, have a pick (I'd like to know a native speaker's opinion on this)
Thanks a bunch !
Top answer
I don't know. To my ear, "it is in use" implies continuous use. From what you say, the use is intermittent.
- I don't know.
- To my ear, "it is in use" implies continuous use.
- From what you say, the use is intermittent.
- Ironically, the continuous tense in this case works better to suggest intermittent use.
- " We'd be less likely to say, "It's in use from time to time," although it's certainly possible.
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6 Answers
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I don't know. To my ear, "it is in use" implies continuous use. From what you say, the use is intermittent.
Ironically, the continuous tense in this case works better to suggest intermittent use.
That is, we can say "It's being used from time to time."
We'd be less likely to say, "It's in use from time to time," although it's certainly possible.
So I think "it is being used
Ironically, the continuous tense in this case works better to suggest intermittent use.
That is, we can say "It's being used from time to time."
We'd be less likely to say, "It's in use from time to time," although it's certainly possible.
So I think "it is being used
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Edit. With "it's being used," we would understand that if the use is intermittent, that situation will be continuous. That is, it will not be available in the forseeable future.
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Point well taken !
PS: I wonder if the edit button will be available for use in the foreseeable future )))
PS: I wonder if the edit button will be available for use in the foreseeable future )))
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