[Grammar] as if ------ makes me craze....

[sykim99]

She talked to the star as if she (were/ had been)talking to her husband.


Context: her husband already died.


which selection is correct?

Is there any difference in meaning , if both are possible?

 

[emsr2d2]

She talked to the star as if she (were/ had been)talking to her husband.


Context: her husband already died.


which selection is correct?

Is there any difference in meaning , if both are possible?

Which one do you think is correct, and why? Give us your answer and then we'll let you know our opinion and reasons.

 

[sykim99]

I think "had been " is a right choice.
I was taught to use a past perfect when referring to a imaginary action in the past. Her husband had already died and he was not there when she talked to stars.

As if is still bugging me..

 

[Offroad]

Looking forward to seeing opinions, because I can't see any difference between them.

 

[emsr2d2]

She talked to the star as if she (were/ had been)talking to her husband.


Context: her husband already died.


which selection is correct?

Is there any difference in meaning , if both are possible?

Hmmmm, well, in my opinion it's "as if she were". As far as I'm concerned, the tense in the first half doesn't make any difference:

I had been talking to the star as if I were talking to a friend.
I have been talking the star as if I were talking to a friend.
I talked to the star as if I were talking to a friend.
I will talk to the star as if I were talking to a friend.

 

[Offroad]

Hmmmm, well, in my opinion it's "as if she were".

Why not 'had been'?

 

[Raymott]

Why not 'had been'?

1. It's not necessary.
2. It could be interpreted as "She talked to the star as if she had just been talking to her husband." - which is not the meaning.
3. It's a simple comparison, so there's no need for the tense differences. "She talked to the star in the same way as she talked to her husband". (Assuming he's alive).
"She talked to the star in the same way as she used to talk to her husband". (Assuming he's dead).
"She talked to the star in the same way as she would have talked to her husband". (Assuming he's dead).

 

[emsr2d2]

1. It's not necessary.
2. It could be interpreted as "She talked to the star as if she had just been talking to her husband." - which is not the meaning.
3. It's a simple comparison, so there's no need for the tense differences. "She talked to the star in the same way as she talked to her husband". (Assuming he's alive).
"She talked to the star in the same way as she used to talk to her husband". (Assuming he's dead).
"She talked to the star in the same way as she would have talked to her husband". (Assuming he's dead).

Great explanation, especially point 2! I totally agree, it might sound as if she were talking to a star and sounding as if she had just/recently/earlier been talking to her husband.

Sykim99, consider the following:

I spoke to the taxi driver as if I had been drunk. (This sounds like I'm saying I might have been drunk in the past or previously)

I spoke to the taxi driver as if I were drunk. (This is clear that the way I was speaking to the taxi driver sounded as if I were actually drunk at the time)