A question about “as if”
I wonder whether the following sentence uses "as if" correctly.
David makes a desk as if it were made by John.
Does this sentence mean "David makes a desk which looks like one made by John"?
subjunctive-mood
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
add a comment |
I wonder whether the following sentence uses "as if" correctly.
David makes a desk as if it were made by John.
Does this sentence mean "David makes a desk which looks like one made by John"?
subjunctive-mood
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
add a comment |
I wonder whether the following sentence uses "as if" correctly.
David makes a desk as if it were made by John.
Does this sentence mean "David makes a desk which looks like one made by John"?
subjunctive-mood
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
I wonder whether the following sentence uses "as if" correctly.
David makes a desk as if it were made by John.
Does this sentence mean "David makes a desk which looks like one made by John"?
subjunctive-mood
subjunctive-mood
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
asked 15 hours ago
Matteo García
284
284
add a comment |
add a comment |
1 Answer
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No, it's confusing to me as a US-English native speaker. Also "makes a desk" is unclear. Like, is he a carpenter building desks? I'd expect to see something more like:
- David makes desks just like John does.
- David makes desks just like John's.
or...
- David makes desks as if the whole world depended on it.
- David makes desks as if he didn't give a damn.
- David is making desks as if he didn't have plans in an hour.
I hope that helps with the kind of tone that as if gives. There's a kind of unreal quality to it.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
No, it's confusing to me as a US-English native speaker. Also "makes a desk" is unclear. Like, is he a carpenter building desks? I'd expect to see something more like:
- David makes desks just like John does.
- David makes desks just like John's.
or...
- David makes desks as if the whole world depended on it.
- David makes desks as if he didn't give a damn.
- David is making desks as if he didn't have plans in an hour.
I hope that helps with the kind of tone that as if gives. There's a kind of unreal quality to it.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
No, it's confusing to me as a US-English native speaker. Also "makes a desk" is unclear. Like, is he a carpenter building desks? I'd expect to see something more like:
- David makes desks just like John does.
- David makes desks just like John's.
or...
- David makes desks as if the whole world depended on it.
- David makes desks as if he didn't give a damn.
- David is making desks as if he didn't have plans in an hour.
I hope that helps with the kind of tone that as if gives. There's a kind of unreal quality to it.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
No, it's confusing to me as a US-English native speaker. Also "makes a desk" is unclear. Like, is he a carpenter building desks? I'd expect to see something more like:
- David makes desks just like John does.
- David makes desks just like John's.
or...
- David makes desks as if the whole world depended on it.
- David makes desks as if he didn't give a damn.
- David is making desks as if he didn't have plans in an hour.
I hope that helps with the kind of tone that as if gives. There's a kind of unreal quality to it.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
No, it's confusing to me as a US-English native speaker. Also "makes a desk" is unclear. Like, is he a carpenter building desks? I'd expect to see something more like:
- David makes desks just like John does.
- David makes desks just like John's.
or...
- David makes desks as if the whole world depended on it.
- David makes desks as if he didn't give a damn.
- David is making desks as if he didn't have plans in an hour.
I hope that helps with the kind of tone that as if gives. There's a kind of unreal quality to it.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
answered 15 hours ago
Johnny
995
995
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Johnny is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |
add a comment |
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