As if

Question

Hello,I've been struggling with this for a really long time now.Could a native speaker of AmE tell me what tenses go after "as if"?He looks as if he's having fun.He looks as if he was having fun.Do these mean the same?He looked as if he was having fun.How about this one?_______It's not as if I'm going to come there.It's not as if I was going to come there.Start by doing it as if you were better.Start by doing it as if you are better.Could anyone help me with this? Thanks.

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

whatchadoinCould a native speaker of AmE tell me what tenses go after "as if"?

All tenses can be found after 'as if'.

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

CalifJimAll tenses can be found after 'as if'.

Can I also use all of them in formal writing without worrying? Would I sounds like a non-native speaker if I said "He looks as if he was having fun."?

I've heard that "It's not as if I'm going to come there." is informal in AmE. Is that true?

http://www.grammaring.com/as-if-as-though - This is incorrect, isn't it?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinCan I also use all of them in formal writing without worrying?

Yes, but use them correctly.

whatchadoinWould I ~~sounds~~ sound like a non-native speaker if I said "He looks as if he was having fun."?

Not really, but tense matching is more likely. looks as if ... is having / looked as if ... was having.

whatchadoinI've heard that "It's not as if I'm going to come there." is informal in AmE. Is that true?

I can't think of a case of formal writing in which anyone would even want to say that. Can you imagine an article for a scientific journal, for example, that would contain such a sentence?

_____________

The site you linked to has accurate information, as far as I can tell after a quick reading. I didn't see anything incorrect there.

CJ

4444mv · Answer

I've even listened to people saying: She looked as if (she were) in terror or she behaved as if (she were) asking for help, leaving out 'she were'/ 'she was'.
What do you think CJ? Informal BrE or AmE?
I've never found this structure in books on grammar.

CalifJim · Answer

4444mvShe looked as if (she were) in terror or she behaved as if (she were) asking for help, leaving out 'she were'/ 'she was'.

That's OK. You can find those omissions in all kinds of writing and speech.

CJ

4444mv · Answer

CalifJim 4444mvShe looked as if (she were) in terror or she behaved as if (she were) asking for help, leaving out 'she were'/ 'she was'.That's OK. You can find those omissions in all kinds of writing and speech.CJ

Thank you CJ!

mv

Whatchadoin · Answer

Which one is more likely to be used by the average native speaker from the USA?

He looks as if he's having fun.
He looks as if he was having fun.

I also heard the following sentence a couple of days ago.

Great work Stefan. As if I didn't have enough problems.

Was the speaker thinking about the past or the present?

________

Start by doing it as if you were speaking to your boss.
Start by doing it as if you are speaking to your boss.

Do they mean the same?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinWhich one is more likely to be used by the average native speaker from the USA?He looks as if he's having fun.He looks as if he was having fun.

In what situation? Both are used, but in different situations. Remember that language doesn't exist in a vacuum; it's related to the situation in which the words are said.

whatchadoinGreat work Stefan. As if I didn't have enough problems.Was the speaker thinking about the past or the present?

The present.

whatchadoinStart by doing it as if you were speaking to your boss.Start by doing it as if you are speaking to your boss.Do they mean the same?

In effect, yes.

CJ

Whatchadoin · Answer

CalifJimIn what situation? Both are used, but in different situations.

Which one would you use if you saw some random guy on the street who gave the impression of having fun?
__

What do you mean by different situations? Don't they always have the same meaning?

CalifJimThe present.

I know that you don't know how to read other people's minds but why did the speaker choose "as if I didn't have enough problems"? Did he like the sound of it better?

CalifJim · Answer

whatchadoinWhich one would you use if you saw some random guy on the street who gave the impression of having fun?

He looks as if he's having fun.

whatchadoinWhat do you mean by different situations? Don't they always have the same meaning?

What if you saw a guy with his clothes in disarray, lipstick on his collar, and holding and empty whiskey bottle, but on a public bench, hanging his head miserably? You can't very well say that he looks like he is having fun. He's miserable. But all the signs are there of something that may have been happening in the not-too-distant past. He looks as if he was having fun.

whatchadoinwhy did the speaker choose "as if I didn't have enough problems"?

As opposed to "as if I don't have enough problems", I assume. He chose that because he is stressing the counterfactual nature of what he's saying. He's stressing that he does have enough problems — more than in the other case with "don't".

CJ

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