| Element | FORM: 'AS IF' + NON-FINITE CLAUSE |
|---|---|
| SuperCat | CLAUSES |
| SubCat | comparatives |
| Lexical Range | N/A |
| Level | C2 |
| Cando | Can use 'as if' + non-finite clause to introduce a second clause as a comparison. |
| Corrected Learner Example | She closed her eyes as if to push those thoughts away. (Brazil; C2 MASTERY; 1993; Portuguese; Pass) There it was: the chef's body, hacked to pieces, a carving knife in his hand as if to scare off an enemy. (Brazil; C2 MASTERY; 2000; Portuguese; Pass) I was so frightened that my heart was beating like crazy as if trying to leave my body. (Portugal; C2 MASTERY; 1993; Portuguese; Pass) Because of this, my mother never denied us anything, as if trying to compensate for our father's death. (Brazil; C2 MASTERY; 1993; Portuguese; Pass) |
| Uncorrected Learner Example | |
| Comments | This is a very low frequency form. There were no instances of 'as though' + finite clauses in the CLC. 'As though' + finite clause is a relatively low frequency pattern in native speaker use (0.2 occurrences per million in CIC). |
