What’s the difference between “to look like he had…” and “to look like as if he had…” ?
Usually they are interchangeable.
Perhaps you’d like to put the phrases into a sentence so that we can confirm that.
Too late! I already chose a variant and sent the e-mail. It’s good that none is incorrect. I first thought about using the second variant, but having doubts about the its correctness I went with the first. I had Google to vote for me, as I used Google search and found that the first is used 7 million time while the second just half a million.
Sorry, I’ve only just noticed that you’ve used ‘like’ and ‘as if’ in the 2nd option.
That is incorrect (so it is just as well you didn’t use it!)
These are the versions that are correct and usually interchangeable:
to look like he had…"
“to look as if he had…” ?
Yeah, I felt that was incorrect. They probably got mixed up in my head. Thanks!
Beeesneees,
- Raman managed to look like he had lost his wallet and made his girl friend to pay for the dinner.
- Raman managed to look as if he had lost his wallet and made his girl friend to pay for the dinner.
Are these sentences fine?
Thanks.
Corrected:
- Raman managed to look like he had lost his wallet to make his girlfriend pay for the dinner. (Using ‘like’ in this particular context is very informal. The preferred option is to use ‘as if’.)
- Raman managed to look as if he had lost his wallet and to make his girlfriend pay for the dinner.
… his wallet (in order to) make…
is assumed in both sentences.