· * It's a win-win situation where the
firm can provide higher-quality services, and the clients achieve better
financial outcomes.
* In an age where economic
uncertainties are more prevalent, clients seek advisors who can provide more
than just compliance services.
· * Visual learners find value in well-structured presentations such as PowerPoints or PDFs, where a picture can convey more than a thousand words.
Which sentence above do you think is correct? If you said “None of the above” then
you’re right. In each instance, no specific place or location is specified. The
author is referring to more abstract terms or concepts. She should have gone with
“in which” as in: “It's a win-win situation in which
the firm can provide higher-quality services …..” The situation is NOT a place you can see
or visit.
Again, I’m no grammarian and don’t aspire to be one. I just try to keep
things simple when writing or editing. Here’s how I keep “Where” vs. “In Which”
straight:
·
Use "where"
when referring to a specific, physical place. For example: "the city where
I was born" or "the building where the conference is being
held."
·
Use "in
which" when referring to something more abstract or conceptual,
rather than to a specific physical location. For example: "the
circumstances in which the accident occurred" or "the era in which
this style of art thrived."
So, don't write about a situation where…, a theory where…,
a case where… a legal dispute where. Those are
all cases to use “in which.”
But
if you think “in which” is too formal or stuffy, you can bend the rules a
little and use “Where” to refer to the status of a situation or
circumstance. For instance:
·
Where do you see this relationship going? Or
·
“He took a plane to Morocco, where he
met his cousin for the first time.
The
above instances are okay to use “Where” and I won’t tell Mrs. McGillicuddy, your
8th grade English teacher.
Quick quiz: Fill in the blank
“Using a spreadsheet when a data warehouse was required
created a situation _______ effective analysis was impossible.”
a. where
b. in which
Correct Answer: b (in which).
The situation is not a physical
location, it’s a scenario. You might find it easier to default to “where,” but
when reviewing your work, please make sure you flag the “where” and then ask
yourself if you’re referring to a physical location or a scenario. See, it’s
easy.
Speaking of reviewing your work, I’m all for Grammarly, Spellcheck and AI, but
there’s nothing more effective than reading your work back to yourself,
preferably aloud. You’re a skilled professional with a personal brand to
protect. With a little practice, you ear will usually help you arrive at the
correct answer.
Conclusion
I know English is a maddeningly perverse language with more exceptions
to the rule than the U.S. tax code. Just keep these simple tips in mind and you’ll
be fine. Because at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter how well you know the
numbers, without a solid command of the English language, you won’t be taken
seriously. After all, You're an Elite Professional; Don't
Sound Like a Jamoke
#grammar; #businesscommunication; #thoughtleadership