When vs. Whenever

I've become a fan of both The Voice and The Biggest Loser. Yes, it is true. However, the grammar on both shows 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. Earlier this year one of the judges 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 only to indicate something that happens over time, or at an unknown or unspecified time. Following are some correct examples.

Past tense:

• Whenever our parents took us to the zoo, my sister and I always headed straight for the giraffes.
• Whenever my brother had a day off, he and I would try to catch a matinee.
• He said to come over whenever we felt like it.

Present tense:

• Whenever I have free time, I squeeze in an afternoon nap.
• Whenever she sings that song, I get chills.
• We can leave whenever you want to leave.

• Whenever he is hungry, he can be sort of mean.
• When he is hungry, he can be sort of mean.

When is used as above but also for something that happens or happened just once. Following are some correct examples.

Past tense:

• When I arrived that morning, I had no idea what to expect.
• When I heard you sing, I just knew I had to turn my chair around.

Present tense:

• When I see him, I will give him your message.
• When we’re done playing soccer, let’s go for a beer.

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?

Palo Alto native Maria Murnane is the author of the best-selling romantic comedies Perfect on Paper, It's a Waverly Life, Honey on Your Mind, and Chocolate for Two. She also provides consulting services on book publishing and marketing. Learn more at www.mariamurnane.com.

This blog post originally appeared on CreateSpace.com. Reprinted with permission. © 2013 CreateSpace, a DBA of On-Demand Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved.