Hi Everybody,
Which of the following is correct and why:
It looks like rain.
It looks like raining
It looks like to rain.
It looks like it is raining.
Souba73
It looks like rain.
‘Rain’ is a noun in that sentence.
like rain(= as if it is going to rain).
You could say
“It looks as if it is raining.”
if you think it is raining right now,
but when speaking about what is likely to happen, then the term is
“It looks as if it is going to rain.”
Hi Beeesneees,
Do you mean ‘It looks like rain’ and ‘It looks as if it is going to rain’ express the same meaning.
Souba73
No, they express different meanings.
EDIT see message below!
***** NOT A TEACHER *****
Hello, Souba:
You have already received the answer.
I just wanted to express another OPINION.
If I looked out the window and looked at the sky, I personally would say, “OMG! It looks like rain, so I’m not going out today for my walk” or “It looks as if it’s going to rain, so I’m not going out today for my walk.” [Most Americans would probably use “like” instead of the correct “as if.”]
As I said, you have already received the correct answer and you should follow that advice, not mine.
James
No, James you are quite right.
Sorry Souba, I had logged in during my lunchtime at work and in my haste to answer before I needed to go offline I didn’t read your message carefully enough.
‘It looks like rain’ means the same as ‘It looks as if it is going to rain’.
Thank you for the confirmation, Beeesneees.
Not at all, James. Thank you for spotting that something seemed amiss.
Hello, James M:
Can I also say “looked out of the window” in lieu of the phrase in bold? Is there a difference?
Thanks…
Hi Foreigner,
I would say ‘looked out of the window’ there. There’s no significant difference.
Hi Beeesneees,
Thank you a lot! )
Hi Beeesneees,
How would I express the situation where some substance is falling from the sky, which looks like rain (but not rain in reality).
Souba73
I have never experienced anything like a rain-like ‘substance’ falling from the sky which wasn’t actually rain! In such a situation I imagine too many people would be panicking to say anything of the sort.
If something such as wind-blown sea spray, fountain spray or a hosepipe pointing upward producing a jet or sheet of liquid which appeared to be rain-like, then I would say, “It’s (It is) like rain.”
Within that context you could also use ‘It looks like rain’ but in that case ‘it looks like’ = ‘the liquid has the appearance of’ rather than the original, where ‘it looks like’ = ‘the weather looks as if it is going to’.
Within that context you could also use ‘It looks like rain’ but in that case ‘it looks like’ = ‘the liquid has the appearance of’ rather than the original, where ‘it looks like’ = ‘the weather looks as if it is going to’.
The meaning of the above sentence is not clear to me. What I understand from the above is as follows:
‘it looks like’ = ‘the liquid has the appearance of’ rather than the original --------- the liquid does not appear what it actually is.
where ‘it looks like’ = ‘the weather looks as if it is going to’…???
souba73
There are at least two different ways in which you can use ‘it looks like rain’.
In the situation you describe in post #12
‘it looks like’ = ‘the liquid has the appearance of’
In the original message #1
‘it looks like’ = ‘the weather looks as if it is going to’
Now, it is clear. According to you, ‘It looks like’ can define both the hypothetical as well as real situations. Thank you very much.