She was acting as if/though she was in charge...

2 tenses
We can use a past tense with a present meaning after as if/though. This shows that a comparison is
'unreal'. Compare:
- She looks as if she's rich.
(Perhaps she is rich.) He talks as if he was rich.
(But he is not.) . - You look as though you know each other.
' Why is she looking at me as though she knew me? I've never seen her befoi in my life.
However, we do not use a past perfect for a past unreal comparison. He talked as if he was rich, but he
wasn't. (NOT ... as ifhehadbecn rich...)
In a formal style, were can be used instead of was in an 'unreal' comparison. This is normal in American
English. He talks as if he were rich.
3 informal use of like
In an informal style, like is often used instead of as if/though, especially in American English. This is not
considered correct in a formal style. It seems like it's going to rain.
He sat there smiling like it was his birthday. For the difference between like and as, see 320.
75 as long as
1 tenses
After as long as, we use a present tense to express a future idea. I'll remember that day as long as I live.
(NOT ... as long as I will live.)
're
For other conjunctions which are used in this way, see 556.
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as wen as TT
2 conditions
As/So long as is often used to state conditions.
You can take my car as/so long as you drive carefully. (=... on condition that you drive carefully.)
76 as usual
Note that in this expression we use the adjective usual, not the adverb usually.
The train's late, as usual. (NOT ... as usually.)
77 as well as
1 meaning
As well as has a similar meaning to 'not only... but also'. She's got a car as well as a motorbike.
(=... not only a motorbike, but also a car.) He's clever as well as good-looking.
(= He's not only good-looking, butalso clever.) She works in television as well as writing children's books.
Note the 'information structure': usually as well as introduces informatioh which is already known to the
listener/reader; the rest of the sentence gives new information.
They speak French in parts of Italy as well as France.
(NOT They speak French in France as well as parts of Italy:
Everybody knows that French is spoken in France, so this information is introduced by as well as.)
2 verbs after as well as
When we put a verb after as well as, we most often use the -ing form. Smoking is dangerous, as well as
makingyou smell bad.
(NOT ... as well as it makes you smell bad.) As well as breaking his leg, he hurt his arm.
(NOT ... as well as he broke his log,...) After an infinitive in the main clause, an infinitive without to is
possible.
I have to feed the animals as well as look after the children. Note the difference between:
She sings as well as playing the piano.
(= She not only plays, but also sings.) She sings as well as she plays the piano.
(= Her singing is as good as her playing.) >
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3
subjects
It is possible to connect two subjects with as well as before a verb. If the first subject is singular, the verb
is also likely to be singular, especially if as well as... is separated by commas.
Alice, as well as Paula, was shocked by the news. (NOT Alice, as well as Paula, were shocked-...)
With longer singular subjects, a plural verb is more likely, especially ff commas are not used.
His appearance as well as his strange way of talking make me
suspicious.
However, this is not a common structure. It is more normal to put
as well as... after the main clause; with pronoun subjects, this almost always happens.
Alice was shocked by the news as well as Paula. He's ill as well as me.
(NOT-He
ell as I/me, is ill.)
For as well, also and too, see 45-46.
78 ask
ask and ask for
Ask for: ask somebody to give something Ask without/or: ash aaoiebody to teB something Compare:
- Don't ask me for money.
(NOT Don't ask me money.) Don't ask me my name. (NOT Don'task mefoi
Wfe)
Ask for the menu. Ask the price.
Ask is sometimes used without for when talking about asking for sums of money, especially in connection
with buying, selling and renting.
They're asking L500 a month rent.
'How much is the car?' 'I'm asking fifteen hundred.' Note also the expressions ask a lot of somebody, ask
too much of somebody, ask a favour of somebody and ask (for) permission.
2 direct and indirect objects
Ask can be followed by either a direct or an indirect object. Ask his name. Ask him.
When ask is followed by two objects, the indirect object (the person) normally comes first, without a
preposition.
I'll ask that man the time. (NOT I'll ask the time to that man.) Can laskyou a favour?
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BT/ in ana 10 /�
Astructure with direct object + of+ indirect object is also possible, especially in American English.
I want to ask a question of that man over there.
She's never asked a favour of anybody.
3 infinitive structures
We can use infinitive structures after ask (see 283-284). ask + infinitive
I asked to go home. (= I asked permission to go home.) flask + object + infinitive
I asked John to go home. (= I told John I would like him to go home.) Ijosfc + for + object + infinitive
I asked for the children to have extra milk. I asked for the parcel to be sent to my home address.
Note the difference between these two sentences:
I asked John to go home. (I wanted John to go home.) I asked John if I could go home. (I wanted to go
home myself.)
79 at/in and to
1 the difference
At and in are generally used for position (see 80); to is used for movement or direction. Compare:
- He works at the market. He gets to the market by bike.
- My father lives in Canada.
I go to Canada to see him whenever I can.
2 expressions of purpose
If we mention the purpose of a movement before we mention the destination, we usually use at/in before
the place. Compare:
- Let's go to Marcel's for coffee.
Let's go and have coffee at Marcel's.
(NOT Let's go and have coffee to Marcel's.)
- I went to Canada to see my father. I went to see my father in Canada.
(NOT I went to sec my father to Canada.)
3 targets
After some verbs, at is used to indicate the 'target' of a perception or nonverbal communication. Common
examples are look, smile, wave, frown, point.
Why are you looking at her like that?
Because she smiled at me. >
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w, uii emu ui ipiaceJ aw
At is also used after some verbs referring to attacks or aggressive behaviour.
Common examples are shoot, laugh, throw and shout. It's a strange feeling to have somebody shoot at
you. If you can't laugh at yourself, who can you laugh at? Stop throwing stones at the cat, darling. You
don't need to shout at me.