comparative/subjunctive · neutral
As if/as though + past simple, clause
Used to describe something that appears true but is not; a present unreal comparison (e.g., 'He acts as if he knew everything').
Examples
“She speaks as if she owned the company.”
“He spends money as if he were a millionaire.”
“They behave as though they understood the rules, but they clearly don't.”
Band 8 sentence
“The minister spoke as if he understood the full complexity of the issue, though his proposals suggested otherwise.”
Collocations
- act/sound/behave as if
- look as though
Word family
Common mistakes
He acts as if he know everything.→He acts as if he knew everything.
She looks as if she has money.→She looks as if she had money.
He acts like he owns the place (in Task 2 essay).→He acts as if he owns the place.
Say it for a higher band
5like + noun/phrase→6as if + present simple→7+As if/as though + past simple, clause
Synonyms
as though
like (informal)
Easily confused
like + noun/phrase
“He acts like a king.”
As if + past perfect
“She looked as if she had seen a ghost.”
Related words
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In Conditionals
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