As If As Though
As If As Though
As If As Though
(a) It looks like rain. Notice in (a): like is followed by a noun object.
(b) It looks a s i f it is going to rain. Notice in (b) and (c): as ifand as though are followed by a clause.
(c) It looks as though it is going to rain. Notice in (d): like is followed by a clause. This use of like is
It looks like is going rain. common in informal English, but is not generally considered
appropriate in formal English; as ifor as though is preferred.
(a), (b), (c), and (d) all have the same meaning.
"TRUE" STATEMENT (FACT) VERB FORM AFTER AS IFIAS THOUGH Usually the idea following
as zylas though is
(e) He is not a child. She talked to him as if he were a child. "untrue.') In this case,
(f) She did not take a shower When she came in fiom the rainstorm, she looked verb usage is similar to
with her clothes on. as $she h a d taken a shower with her clothes on. that in conditional
(g) He h a s m e t her. He acted as though he h a d never m e t her. sentences.
(h) She will be here. She spoke as ifshe wouldn't be here.
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4. His animals aren't people.
I know a farmer who talks to his animals
12. NOTE: The following sentiments were expressed by Helen Keller, a woman who was
both blind and deaf but who learned to speak and to read (Braille*). Complete these
sentences.
Use your eyes as if tomorrow you become blind. Hear the music
of voices, the song of a bird, as if you become deaf tomorrow. Touch
each object as if tomorrow you never be able to feel anything again.
Smell the perfume of the flowers and taste with true enjoyment each bite of food as if
tomorrow you never be able to smell and taste again.
*A system of writing for the blind devised by the Frenchman Louis Braille. Blind people read Braille by
placing the tips of their fingers on raised dots that represent letters, punctuation, etc.