it was then when i saw vs it was then that i saw

Both phrases are correct, but "it was then that I saw" is the more commonly used and accepted construction in English. The phrase "it was then when I saw" is less common and may sound awkward to native speakers.

Last updated: March 21, 2024 • 1449 views

it was then when i saw

This construction is not commonly used in English and may sound awkward to native speakers.

The phrase "it was then when I saw" is not a standard or commonly accepted construction in English. It is better to use "it was then that I saw" for a more natural and correct expression.

Show examples from the web [+]

But a light would shine far away in a line,. It was then when I saw you for the first time,. and my heart wondered, if you could be mine? With a snap of a finger,.
He slumped in the corner and it was then when I saw the severity of the wounds he had just sustained. He was gasping for air and bleeding from his chest.
It was then when I saw the very evil gaze in her eyes. I suddenly realized that my clothes were off. I realized what was going on now. My blood ran cold.
It was then when I saw that my brain was playing back everything it had recorded for the 18 years I had lived in first person. However I found out I can switch to ...

it was then that i saw

This is the correct and more commonly used construction in English.

The phrase "it was then that I saw" is the correct way to express the sequence of events. It is a standard and widely accepted construction in English.

Show examples from the web [+]

Dec 20, 2013 ... “It was then that I saw the tortured stand before their tormentors, The last survivors facing those who had condemned them to death […]
It was then that I saw herÑthe ghost. The woman with streaming hair. She was surrounded by a gilt frame but I knew her. I dropped the candle I was carrying and ...
It was then that I saw her — the ghost. The woman with streaming hair. She was surrounded by a gilt frame but I knew her.” (111-112). “Her name oughtn't to be ...
It was then that I saw her—the ghost. The woman with streaming-hair. She was surrounded by a gilt frame but I knew her. I dropped the candle I was carrying ...

What Our Customers Are Saying

Our customers love us! We have an average rating of 4.79 stars based on 283,125 votes.
Also check out our 2,100+ reviews on TrustPilot (4.9).

"Thank you!"
Sachi Nakama July 2024
"I have literally been through chat, PI, claude, bard and bing and I got conflicting answers! Thank you! Human intelligence reigns!"
Retha July 2024
"Faster than AI"
CYNTHIA December 2023
"This was very helpful and I personally think this site is the best."
Kaden October 2023
"It was extremely thorough and very helpful!"
imperialelisa October 2023
"7 years without any disappointment. Always 100% satisfied. You guys are the best in the world at what you do. Thank you so much :)"
Zubair Alam October 2023
"In a world of text messages and online communication, this is great to have as a live tool. Thank you."
Selena October 2023
"Without textranch I would be stuck!"
宏祐 October 2023
"Accuracy and fast response. Personal comments from editor. Thank you."
Clh September 2023
"I wasn't aware of this service, it's fascinating and more reliable than standard IA tools available on the internet"
Arturo September 2023
"The fact that you can get reliable fast feedback on your texts."
Vinicius Antonio August 2023
"you guys are better than grammarly i'm being honest here"
ordinary July 2023
"OMG! This is really good than any other text correction tools I've used so far. Highly recommend this."
Vehan July 2023
"Very fast and accurate. thank you."
mojtaba July 2023
"I love this app because it's help to writing skills all of students ♥️"
Tarisini July 2023
"This was exactly the mistake I was looking for, the wording dind´t sound right at first. Better than grammarly!"
Ente July 2023
"The immediate help that I received was reassuring and very satisfactory. Thanks."
priiiyanshuu July 2023
"this helps A LOT for my studies."
kathnunez02 June 2023
"Woow!! I would never have expected such precision! Thank you soooo much!!"
Berta June 2023
"Real Time Editor and not AI. Many Thanks."
Priya June 2023
"The very first thing excites me about Textranch is how much your editors care."
sepideh June 2023
"The fact that texts are checked by human editors rather than by AI, etc. I appreciate this!"
Анна June 2023
"Feel welcome, immediate response, high quality feedback"
martin.roy June 2023
"This is the best app that I have ever seen"
Burulai May 2023

it was then when i saw vs it was then that i saw