[Grammar] 'as if ' .....

[wotcha]

1. He talked as if he knew everything.

2. He talked as if he had known everything.

How are they different?

 

[bhaisahab]

1. He talked as if he knew everything.

2. He talked as if he had known everything.

How are they different?

I would use the first one. The second is a bit unusual, I can't think of a good use for it.

 

[wotcha]

I would use the first one. The second is a bit unusual, I can't think of a good use for it.

What about this?

'He talks as if he knew everything'

Does this sentence make sense?

 

[bhaisahab]

What about this?

'He talks as if he knew'

Does this sentence make sense?

It could work in the right context, "He talks (now) as if he knew (then) what had happened (before).

 

[paul.moss]

You must be careful with the distiction between the present form, and past tense form. "He talks as if he knew evrything" means "I'm sure he doesn't but he wants to give the impression that he does by talking in a certain way". "He talks as if he knows everything" means "He probably does from the way he talks".
"He talked as if he knew" could be ambiguous. To remove the abiguity in a given context, say "He talked as if he had known", which is not as common. If the context makes for no ambiguity, use the simpler form.
yours

 

[Tdol]

I would use the first one. The second is a bit unusual, I can't think of a good use for it.

It's possible to create a context where it works, but it's not going to be much use. ;-)

 

[Nightmare85]

Doesn't this one work?
He talks as if he knows everything. :?:
I barely use the "as if" construction, but when I use it I often use the present tense.
So it's not good?

Cheers!