as if/as though?

**satara42** · 02-Oct-2006, 20:46

Hi all again...I have learned that as if/as though must be used for unreal situations..For example, "He treats us as if we were his children...(But we are not his children)"...But i have read a sentence just before and i'm exactly confused now...Pls help me...The sentence was that:

-You look as if you are tired. (You are tired now---a real situation)

I wonder whether we can use "as if" in the sentence above or not...Thank you all...

**MikeNewYork** · 02-Oct-2006, 20:51

Originally Posted by satara42

Hi all again...I have learned that as if/as though must be used for unreal situations..For example, "He treats us as if we were his children...(But we are not his children)"...But i have read a sentence just before and i'm exactly confused now...Pls help me...The sentence was that:

-You look as if you are tired. (You are tired now---a real situation)

I wonder whether we can use "as if" in the sentence above or not...Thank you all...

I would not use that sentence. If the situation is real enough for the indicative it can be stated:

You look tired.

**satara42** · 02-Oct-2006, 20:54

Thank you Mike...but what about "The teacher is shouting at us as if he is very angry"?

**satara42** · 02-Oct-2006, 20:55

Or "The cat sounds as if it is hungry"?

**MikeNewYork** · 02-Oct-2006, 21:05

Originally Posted by satara42

Thank you Mike...but what about "The teacher is shouting at us as if he is very angry"?

Again, the speaker or writer is the one who decides if the situation is real or unreal.

If the speaker/writer believes that the teacher is angry, then: The teacher is shouting angrily at us.

If the speaker writer nelieves that the teacher is feigning anger, then: The teacher is shouting at us as if he were angry.

**MikeNewYork** · 02-Oct-2006, 21:06

Originally Posted by satara42

Or "The cat sounds as if it is hungry"?

The cat sounds hungry.

**satara42** · 02-Oct-2006, 21:08

Originally Posted by MikeNewYork

Again, the speaker or writer is the one who decides if the situation is real or unreal.

If the speaker/writer believes that the teacher is angry, then: The teacher is shouting angrily at us.

If the speaker writer nelieves that the teacher is feigning anger, then: The teacher is shouting at us as if he were angry.

OK OK OK...Thank you very much MikeNY!!! I'm going to burn the other book also...

**MikeNewYork** · 02-Oct-2006, 21:11

Originally Posted by satara42

OK OK OK...Thank you very much MikeNY!!! I'm going to burn the other book also...

You might want to keep the second one. Those are venial sins. Others might find them acceptable.

**Humble** · 03-Oct-2006, 08:26

Hi,
Please have a look at this one:
I feel as you don’t love me any more.
Yes, Satara, if the comparison is real we do use the Indicative. Sure enough, it’s interesting to learn how native speakers use those patterns nowadays.
Rgs

**MikeNewYork** · 03-Oct-2006, 18:08

Originally Posted by Humble

Hi,
Please have a look at this one:
I feel as you don’t love me any more.
Yes, Satara, if the comparison is real we do use the Indicative. Sure enough, it’s interesting to learn how native speakers use those patterns nowadays.
Rgs

Wouldn't that be better as: "I feel (that) you don't love me anymore"?

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