She’s the closest thing I have ever had to a sister.

[it-is-niaz]

1. She’s the closest thing I have ever had to a sister.
2. She is like my sister.

What is the difference between the sentences above?

 

[jutfrank]

They differ in meaning. Try to tell us what you understand the difference to be.

Why have you written your post in grey like that?

 

[emsr2d2]

I have changed post 1 to black font. I could barely see the grey text. Please always post in the default size and colour.

 

[Yankee]

I don't consider much difference.

 

[Tarheel]

1. She is a close female friend who is like a sister to you.
2. She is similar to your sister.

 

[NamelessKing]

2. She is similar to your sister.

Do you mean they look alike?

 

[Tarheel]

Do you mean they look alike?

Possibly. But people can be similar in ways other than looks.

 

[GoesStation]

The two sentences have significantly different meanings. It-is-niaz, what do you think they mean? What situation is possible with sentence two that would be impossible with sentence one?

Let's hold off on further comments until we hear from the original poster.

 

[it-is-niaz]

They differ in meaning. Try to tell us what you understand the difference to be.

I don't know. if I knew, i wouldn't ask here. Maybe it means that she doesn't consider her friend as a sister. But she feels like she is her sister.

She’s the closest thing I have ever had to a sister.

she is like her sister. she has a feeling that she is like her sister.

Why have you written your post in grey like that?

I didn't change. I have no idea why it was grey after I posted that.

 

[it-is-niaz]

Do you mean they look alike?

No.

 

[it-is-niaz]

What situation is possible with sentence two that would be impossible with sentence one?

I don't know. Maybe in the second sentence two friends are really like a sister. but the first one it is a temporary feeling.

 

[jutfrank]

She's the closest thing I've ever had to a sister.

Look the the part in bold. This is a present perfect construction. It tells the listener something about the life experience of the speaker.

From this sentence, we know:

a) that speaker doesn't have a sister.
b) something about how the speaker compares his/her relationship with the person in question to other relationships in his/her life.

 

[GoesStation]

From this sentence, we know:

a) that the speaker doesn't have a sister.

 

[it-is-niaz]

a) that the speaker doesn't have a sister.

But, I watched a movie. There were two friends. One of them told the other one you are like my sister while none of them have sisters.

 

[jutfrank]

But, I watched a movie. There were two friends. One of them told the other one you are like my sister while none of them have sisters.

Okay but the point is that from sentence 2 we don't know that whereas from sentence 1 we do.