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Vivreddy Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
as if/as though + was/were
which is more appropriate?
He acts as though he was the boss
or
He acts as though he were the boss
He acts as if he were the boss
or
He acts as if he was the boss
He acts as though he was the boss
or
He acts as though he were the boss
He acts as if he were the boss
or
He acts as if he was the boss
Top answer
"as though" and "as if" are equally correct. "as if" is probably more common. "were" is more formal than "was".
- "as though" and "as if" are equally correct.
- "as if" is probably more common.
- "were" is more formal than "was".
- All things considered, probably the most common way to say this in conversational English is the last one.
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3 Answers
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"as though" and "as if" are equally correct. "as if" is probably more common.
"were" is more formal than "was".
All things considered, probably the most common way to say this in conversational English is the last one.
"were" is more formal than "was".
All things considered, probably the most common way to say this in conversational English is the last one.
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To make a long 'story' short, the subjunctive "were" is more likely to be used in formal speech and writing. The simple past form "was" is perfectly acceptable in common parlance and effectively also indicates that he is not the boss.
PS: Remember to end your sentences with a period (full stop).
PS: Remember to end your sentences with a period (full stop).
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Of the 37 citations for [subject] acts as if he [verb], 28 of the verbs are present tense, eight past.
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