English 24
26th April 2003
A little bit of GRAMMAR

Hi guys, this week we finished off our section dedicated to AS. We focused on as if, which we can use to say how someone or something looks, sounds or feels etc. …

o When I spoke to Joanne today, she sounded as if she had a cold.
o I've just come back from a week's holiday in the sun, but when I walked into the office this morning, I felt as if I'd never been on holiday at all.
o The building looked as if it would fall down any minute.

To see how the sentence is formed, look and compare the following:
o You look sleepy (look + adjective)
o You look as if you haven't slept (look + as if + subject +verb)
o Sam sounded worried. (sound + adjective)
o Sam sounded as if she was worried. (sound + as if + subject + verb)

You can also use as though instead of as if:
o Joanne sounds as though she's got a cold.

It is also possible to say it looks/sounds/smells as if (or as though)
o The boss is very late this morning, isn't he? It looks as if/as though he isn't coming.
o I got a taxi to the station because it looked as if / as though there was going to be a storm.
o I don't think we should walk across the causeway* to Holy Island, because it looks as if / as though the tide is coming in.
o Sarah: Have you been smoking in here?
James: No, I haven't
Sarah: Well it certainly smells as if /as though someone has been smoking.

*causeway (strada sopraelevata sopra acqua o palude) : a road covered by the sea when the tide is in and uncovered when the tide is out, thereby enabling you to cross to the island or the mainland at low tide.

After it looks/ smells/ sounds, you can also use like instead of as if / as though:
Ø It looks like the tide is coming in fast.
Ø It looks like Frances is going to be late.
Ø It smells like someone has been smoking in this room.

It is also possible to use as if with other verbs to say how someone does something:
Ø Jack ran the 100 metres as if his life depended upon it.
Ø After she heard the bad news she carried on working at her desk as if nothing had happened.
Ø When I told my bank manager my idea to make money, he looked at me as if I was mad.

Practice exercises

Exercise 1
Use the following to make sentences with as if.
Ø she'd had a really good time
Ø she'd seen a ghost
Ø he needed another holiday
Ø she was really upset about it
Ø she had been crying
Ø I'm going to be sick

1. I saw Joanne when she came back from lunch. Her eyes were red. She looked ……………………………………..
2. I spoke to Clare after the party, She sounded ……………………………………….
3. Paul was absolutely exhausted when he got home from his holidays. If you ask me, he looked ………… …to recover from the first.
4. You'd better phone Joanne back straightaway. She phoned earlier and said Jonathan was moving out. She sounded ………….
5. I wish I hadn't eaten so much cake, I've got a terrible pain in my stomach. I feel ……….
6. You should have seen Francesca's face after we played that trick on her! She was terrified! She looked …………..

Exercise 2
Try to make sentences beginning with it looks/sounds as if….. or it looks/sounds like …
e.g.
Ø It's 11 am and the boss hasn't arrived in the office yet.
Ø It looks as if he isn't coming.
Ø It looks like he isn't coming.
Make use of the following:
Ø we'll have to get a taxi
Ø she has the flu
Ø she had a fantastic time
Ø they're having an argument
Ø they're having a party
Ø it's going to rain

1. You hear loud music from your neighbour's house. It sounds …………………………………………………………………..
2. There are black clouds in the sky. It ………………
3. We've just missed the last metro home. It…………
4. Anna has been telling me about her amazing adventures in the Australian outback. It…..
5. When you telephone Daisy she is coughing and sneezing. You tell her that it……..
6. You hear your neighbours shouting and yelling at each other. It ……

Answers

Exercise 1
1. She looked as if she had been crying.
2. She sounded as if she'd had a really good time.
3. He looked as if he needed another holiday.
4. She sounded as if she was really upset about it.
5. I feel as if I'm going to be sick.
6. She looked as if she'd seen a ghost.

Exercise 2
1. It sounds as if /like they're having a party.
2. It looks as if / like it's going to rain.
3. It looks as if / like we'll have to get a taxi.
4. It sounds as if/ like she's had a fantastic time.
5. It sounds as if/ like she's got the flu.
It sounds as if/ like they're having an argument.