If-clauses - What about "as if"?

Question

Hallo grammar-experts,I know this grammar rule: "No will and would in if-clauses."Now I wonder if this rules is being applied in the very same way in a construction with "as if".Are the following two examples both correct English sentences. If so, is there maybe a slight difference in meaning?"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you were talking to a child."And:"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you talked to a child."Thank you,fanofkeyra

Terryxpress · Accepted Answer

"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you were talking to a child."

"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you talked to a child."

You are referring to an ongoing action, so it must be the Progressive form of the verb:

"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you are talking to a child."

BillJ · Answer

fanofkeyraI know this grammar rule: "No will and would in if-clauses."

What makes you think that? It's not true, cf:

If you won't do it, I'll find someone else who will.

I'd be very grateful if you would cover for me.

In both these examples the protases (if clauses) contain "will/would".

fanofkeyraNow I wonder if this rules is being applied in the very same way in a construction with "as if".Are the following two examples both correct English sentences. If so, is there maybe a slight difference in meaning?"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you were talking to a child."And:"Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you talked to a child."

"Will " and "would" express modality. "As if" phrases can also express modality, but they typically occur in comparative constructions, as in your examples:

[1] Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you were talking to a child.

[2] *Speak naturally and try to avoid sophisticated expressions, as if you talked to a child.

[1] is fine, but [2] is ungrammatical, since there is a conflict between the matrix clause, which is an imperative one issuing a directive to someone to do something in the future, and the subordinate clause which has the past tense "talked", which refers to past time.

If-clauses - What about "as if"?

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