Editing Language/English/Vocabulary/As-if-and-as-though;-like

[[File:As-if-as-though-like-English-lesson-polyglot-club.jpg|thumb]]
<div style="font-size:300%;">As if / as though / like</div>

==Meaning==

'''As if and as though are both used to say what a situation seems like. They can refer to something that we think may be true.''' 

Examples:

*It looks as if/though it’s going to snow.

*It sounds as if/though John’s going to change his job. 

''' '''

'''They can also be used to talk about things which we know are not true.''' 

Examples:

*I feel as if/though I'm dying.

*She was acting as if/though she was in charge.

==Tenses==

'''When we talk about things which we know are not true, we can use a past tense with a present meaning after as if/though. This emphasises the meaning of unreality.'''  

Compare:

*She looks as if she is rich. (Perhaps she is.)

*He talks as if he was rich. (But he is definitely not.)

*You look as though you know each other.

*Why is he looking at me as though he knew me? I've never seen him before.  


'''In a formal style, "were" can be used instead of "was" in an ‘unreal’ comparison. This is common in American English.''' 

Example:

*He talks as if he were rich. 

=="Like" meaning as "as if" or "though"==

"Like" is often used in the same way as "as if/though", particularly in an informal style. This used to be typically American English, but it is now common in British English. 


Examples:

*It seems like it’s going to snow.

*He sat there smiling like it was his birthday.

==Videos==

===English VERBS of the SENSES! + As if / Like / As though - YouTube===
<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmgFVNO6bcA</youtube>

==Related Lessons==
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Phrasal-Verbs-with-OFF|Phrasal Verbs with OFF]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Frequently-Misspelt-Words|Frequently Misspelt Words]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/At-first-and-first|At first and first]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/As-long-as|As long as]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Geography|Geography]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Diminutives|Diminutives]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Homophones-II|Homophones II]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/PHRASAL-VERBS-WITH-OUT|PHRASAL VERBS WITH OUT]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Along|Along]]
* [[Language/English/Vocabulary/Meaning-of-ain't|Meaning of ain't]]