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Whatchadoin Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
As if
He looks as if he's having fun. - Right now. This version is the standard one in BrE and all of my friends use it. I do, too. I was told that this version was substandard in AmE. Do americans use this kind of structures?
He looks as if he was having fun. - This sounds wrong to me. I would never use this one because the "looks" in the sentence does not match the second part of the sentence. And by doesn't match I mean the tenses.
He looked as if he was having fun. - I'd use this one if I were talking about the past. Am I right?
What tense is the best after "as if"? I've looked it up in lots of online guides and all of them have given me different definitions. A native speaker whose native language is BrE told me that this was the area in English language that was changing and that might be the reason why lots of people have different opinions on it.
Should I just match tenses as I always do?
Please do not reply if you're not a native speaker of AmE. Thanks.
He looks as if he was having fun. - This sounds wrong to me. I would never use this one because the "looks" in the sentence does not match the second part of the sentence. And by doesn't match I mean the tenses.
He looked as if he was having fun. - I'd use this one if I were talking about the past. Am I right?
What tense is the best after "as if"? I've looked it up in lots of online guides and all of them have given me different definitions. A native speaker whose native language is BrE told me that this was the area in English language that was changing and that might be the reason why lots of people have different opinions on it.
Should I just match tenses as I always do?
Please do not reply if you're not a native speaker of AmE. Thanks.
Top answer
He looks as if he's having fun. - Right now. This version is the standard one in BrE and all of my friends use it.
- He looks as if he's having fun.
- - Right now.
- This version is the standard one in BrE and all of my friends use it.
- I do, too.
- I was told that this version was substandard in AmE.
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7 Answers
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He looks as if he's having fun. - Right now. This version is the standard one in BrE and all of my friends use it. I do, too. I was told that this version was substandard in AmE. Do Americans use this kind of structures?
Yes.
He looked as if he were (formal) / was (informal) having fun. - I'd use this one if
Yes.
He looked as if he were (formal) / was (informal) having fun. - I'd use this one if
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So the following sentences mean exactly the same?
He looks as if he's having fun.
He looks as if he were having fun.
Which one is more formal? I've read on this forum that sentences like the first one are informal in AmE. Is that true?
Do we use "as if" for unreal situations? I think that this link isn't a good source in this case:
He looks as if he's having fun.
He looks as if he were having fun.
Which one is more formal? I've read on this forum that sentences like the first one are informal in AmE. Is that true?
Do we use "as if" for unreal situations? I think that this link isn't a good source in this case:
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whatchadoinuoteSo the following sentences mean exactly the same?He looks as if he's having fun. Present tense, a real situation.
He looked as if he were having fun. Past tense, hypothesis or unreal situation..
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Start by doing it as if you were me.
Start by doing it as if you are me.
Which one is correct?
Start by doing it as if you are me.
Which one is correct?
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AlpheccaStarsHe looks as if he's having fun. Present tense, a real situation.Do we know in this case if he is having fun or we're just guessing?
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whatchadoinHe looks as if he's having fun. Do we know in this case if he is having fun or we're just guessing?You are the one making this statement. You should be the one to decide which meaning you are trying to get across.
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whatchadoinDo we know in this case if he is having fun or we're just guessing?He's really having a lot of fun. (No question, you are certain that it is no act.)
Compare with these:
It seems like he's having fun.
He looks like he's having fun.
He looks as if he's having fun.
These are observations. He is laughing, clapping,
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