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Which one of these is the correct one?

  • The registers testcase checks that the module's register interface works as expected.
  • The registers testcase checks that the module's register interface is working as expected.
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    Although I answered, I'm voting this be migrated to English SE since this question is more about the English language than writing.
    – Craig Sefton
    May 17, 2011 at 8:32

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"Working" is a present participle.

According to this article, "A Present Participle is used with the verb 'To Be' to indicate an action that is incomplete".

Therefore, if the register interface is a completed action, the first sentence is the better choice. If not, then the second sentence is correct.

Personally, I would say the first sentence is better, because you're checking the condition that it completes the action. If it works, the test succeeds. If it doesn't, the test fails.

(Btw, this question is probably better asked here: https://english.stackexchange.com/).

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    @geschema - No problem, hopefully a moderator is lurking, and will migrate it for you. Good luck.
    – Craig Sefton
    May 17, 2011 at 8:38
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    +1, definitely. "works" implies it completes the action and its running another iteration already. "working" implies it's currently running, but we're not sure whether it completes what it should.
    – Frantisek
    May 17, 2011 at 14:16

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