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  1. Every single day while I sit to write, I am to think what I will write.
  2. Every single day when I sit to write, I am to think what I will write.

From while and when, which will you prefer and why? If it is possible, please say another word that can used instead of while and when in this case.

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  • "I am to think" is awkward. Nov 26, 2015 at 18:02
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    "Am|is|are to" (i.e.= must) is not used very much nowadays, but it's not an archaism by any means, and in certain kinds of formal writing it wouldn't be considered awkward. All are to stand when the judge enters the courtroom.
    – TimR
    Nov 26, 2015 at 18:58
  • It's not archaic at all, no, but it's overtly formal. Nov 26, 2015 at 19:29
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    Who wrote those sentences? Did you write them yourself? Both look very awkward.
    – user24743
    Nov 26, 2015 at 19:50
  • @Rathony, you are right. I have write them myself. Since these sentences seem awkward, please write the best one.
    – user17969
    Nov 27, 2015 at 0:08

3 Answers 3

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In the temporal sense,

"While" deals with a duration,

While I was sleeping, he stole my phone.

"when" deals with some specific point in time.

When I went to bed, he stole my phone.

In your case, I prefer

Every single day when I sit to write, I am to think what I will write.

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I would use your option 2:

Every single day when I sit to write, I should start with thinking about what exactly I will write.


The second option focuses too much on the process of sitting:

Every single day while I sit to write, I am to think what I will write.

It's hard for me to construe a situation where this sentence would be felicitous. Maybe you have two chairs. On the first chair, you "sit to write": the chair is used solely for sitting and thinking about what exactly to write. The second chair is used when you've finally decided what it is that you should write.

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There are subtle differences between the meaning of the two sentences.

"While I sit to write"

refers to the entire period of time spent sitting.

"When I sit to write"

refers to the action of sitting down; i.e. one specific moment.

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