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In an application I'm developing, a user is allowed to fetch a value using a button. Upon the value being successfully fetched, I need to notify the user. I used the following sentence.

The value was fetched successfully.

Upon reviewing it, my co-worker suggested the following sentence, which doesn't sound right to my ear.

The value is fetched successfully.

Appreciate if someone can clear up the difference between these two sentences. Are both grammatically correct? If so, which is more appropriate to use for this case?

StraightAir
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    If it's to notify the user that the 'fetching' has been successful - it has already happened - was would be more appropriate. – Kate Bunting Jul 27 '20 at 11:35
  • Thanks for your response @KateBunting. Do you have an idea about the grammatical accuracy of the sentence "The value is fetched successfully."? – StraightAir Jul 27 '20 at 11:42
  • You don't really need to display a grammatically correct message in this context. It is more than acceptable, in fact it is the more common practice, to use what may be called "Headline English" and display "Value fetched successfully". It's what I would do. – BoldBen Jul 27 '20 at 11:57
  • @StraightAir * It's actually something different in the application.* If "Value" is a name, then it does not require a determiner as it is not countable, but if should be in quotes or capitalised. – Greybeard Jul 27 '20 at 12:02
  • Do you have a case where the message would be “the value was fetched unsuccessfully”? If not you are using too many words and it’s HCI advice or training you really need IMHO. I’d aim for as few words as possible “Value retrieved” is a possibility. I wonder about “value” too. Is there anything wrong with “Request successful”? – David Jul 27 '20 at 12:58
  • Either "was" or "has been", but never "is". Your co-worker is welcome to peruse the linked question I am closing this as a duplicate of. – RegDwigнt Jul 27 '20 at 13:28
  • This is not about grammar, but meaning. There is nothing ungrammatical about either option. It's just that they say completely different things. This is like asking if "I have a cat" is a grammatically correct alternative to "She has a dog". Yes, sure, of course it is. – RegDwigнt Jul 27 '20 at 13:33

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