This paper analyses the use of the word "where" in texts written by Malay-speaking learners of English. Data from a learner corpus is compared with data from two corpora of academic writing by native English-speaker writers. Considerable over-use of "where" is found: this is explained as a consequence of various patterns of misuse of "where" and non-use of standard forms of relativization common in written academic English. Suggestions are offered as to (a) the causes of misuse and (b) teaching strategies for helping students avoid misuse. (Contains 7 figures.)