AS

[hitinvo]

_They introduced themselves as police officers.
What does the word as in this sentence mean?
thanks

 

[billmcd]

"as" = "equal to" / "similar to" / "the same as" / "like"
"officer" in your example should be "officers", to agree with "themselves

 

[Raymott]

_They introduced themselves as police officers.
What does the word as in this sentence mean?
thanks

It means that they explicitly said that they were police officers.
It doesn't mean "They introduced themselves as a police officer would", or " ... like/similar to how a police officer does".

 

[TheParser]

_They introduced themselves as police officers.
What does the word as in this sentence mean?
thanks

***** NOT A TEACHER *****

Hello, Hitinvo.

(1) I believe that "as" in your sentence means nothing.

(a) That is why some books call "as" in your sentence only an

"introductory word" or "expletive."

(2) I believe that its only role is to make a SMOOTH CONNECTION

between the words "themselves" and "police officers."

(3) Many times you do not need "as." For example, your

sentence could be rewritten as:

They called themselves police officers. (That is, they introduced

themselves TO BE police officers.)

(4) When you get time, please study the role of "as" in sentences

with OBJECTIVE COMPLEMENTS.

***** Thank you *****