Which tense is more appropriate to use in the following sentence?
The stop valve is not functioning correctly.

The stop valve does not function correctly.

If we are speaking about troubleshooting or elimination of faults.

Thank you for the help in advance.

Question

Which tense is more appropriate to use in the following sentence?
The stop valve is not functioning correctly.

The stop valve does not function correctly.

If we are speaking about troubleshooting or elimination of faults.

Thank you for the help in advance.

Answer

Not functioning correctly means that it would work if it weren't currently malfunctioning.

Does not function correctly implies that it's not capable of performing the function you want it to.

If you install a stop valve and one day it breaks, then you would use not functioning correctly. If your stop valve had a defect in it so that it would not have worked from the start, then you would use does not function properly.

Answer

"Is not" would be the one you'd want to us.

For example, a troubleshooting document might saying something like "If the thingamabob is no longer working, check to see if the stop value is not functioning properly".

Answers · 2

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