re: a question about verb tense/is or was?

["Steve Hudson" <steve -at- wright -dot- com -dot- au>]

1. Click the ABC - the ABC window will open.

2. The technical writer will respond to your post with some writing.

3. The Book will contain the following chapters


I use imperatives in instructions

Steve


-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-techwr-l-62124 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
[mailto:bounce-techwr-l-62124 -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com]On Behalf Of Hager,
Harry (US - East Brunswick)
Sent: Thursday, 22 March 2001 01:51
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: a question about verb tense/is or was?


Steve,

Are you saying that you normally use the future tense when you write
procedures for user manuals and other such tech writing?

Please take a look at the following be examples:

- When you click the ABC button, the ABC window will open.

- When you click the XYZ button, the program will start the XYZ procedure.

- You will select the XXX command in the ABC window when you want to perform
the XXX procedure.

Are these fair, although perhaps simplistic, representations of what you
mean when you say you use the future tense whenever possible?


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