List A

as if – as though

as if / though + subject + present /past verb

as if / though + subject +past verb with present meaning

1. As if and as though mean the same .
We use them to say what a situation seems like.

  • It looks as if/ though it’s going to rain
  • I felt as if/ though I was dying

2. We can use a past tense with a present meaning after as it/though.
This means that the idea is unreal.

  • He looks as if he’s rich (perhaps he is rich)
  • She talks as if she was rich (but she isn’t)

We can use were instead of was when we express unreal ideas after as it/ though.
This is common in a formal style.

  • She talks as if she were rich.

3.  Like is often used instead of as if/ though , especially in American English
This is very informal.

  • It looks like it’s going to rain

Also, as well and too

– clause + as well = clause + too

– as well and too can refer to dirrerent parts of the sentence depending on the meaning. When we speak, we shom the exact meaning by stressing the word that they refers to.

  • Other people have meetings on Sundays and we have meetings on Sunday as well
  • We go for walks on Sundays and we have meetings on Sunday as well
  • We have meetings on Tuesday and we have meetings on Sunday as well

– also + verbs= be + also

  • I don’t like him I also think he’s dishonest
  • She sings and she also plays the piano
  • I’m hungry and I’m also very tired

– as well (too) in short answer (not also)

  • I’m hungry. I’m too/ So am I/ Me too/ I’m as well (not I also)

– not use as well, too, also in negative sentences = not.. eigher, neither or nor

  • He’s there too — He isn’t there either
  • I like you as well — I don’t like you either
  • I do too — Nor do I.

Although / though / even though, In spite of / despite

After although we use a subject + verb:’

  • Although it rained a lot, we enjoyed our holiday.
  • I didn’t get the job although I had the necessary qualifications.

Compare the meaning of although and because:

  • We went out although it was raining.
  • We didn’t go out because it was raining.

After in spite of or despite, we use a noun, a pronoun (this/that/what etc.) or -ing:

  • In spite of the rain, we enjoyed our holiday.
  • I didn’t get the job in spite of having the necessary qualifications.
  • She wasn’t well, but in spite of this she went to work.
  • In spite of what I said yesterday, I still love you.

Despite is the same as in spite of. We say in spite of, but despite [without of):

  • She wasn’t well, but despite this she went to work.(not despite of this)

You can say in spite of the fact (that) … and despite the fact (that) … :

  • I didn’t get the job in spite of the fact (that) I had the necessary qualifications.
    I didn’t get the job despite the fact (that) I had the necessary qualifications.

Compare in spite of and because of:

  • We went out in spite of the rain, (or … despite the rain.)
  • We didn’t go out because of the rain.

Compare although and in spite of / despite:

  • Although the traffic was bad,/In spite of the traffic, we arrived on time,
    (not     In spite of the traffic was bad)
  • I couldn’t sleep, although I was very tired./despite being very tired.
    (not     despite I was tired)

Sometimes we use though instead of although:

  • I didn’t get the job though I had the necessary qualifications.

In spoken English we often use though at the end of a sentence:

  • The house isn’t very nice. I like the garden though. (= but I like the garden)
  • I see them every day. I’ve never spoken to them though. (= but I’ve never spoken to them)

Even though (but not ‘even’ alone) is a stronger form of although:

  • Even though I was really tired, I couldn’t sleep, (not Even I was really tired …)

All and Every

– Every = all without exception

– All (+determiner)+ plural = Every + singular

  • All children need love/ Every child needs love
  • All cities are noisy/ Every city is noisy
  • Please switch off all the lights/ Please switch off every light
  • I’ve written to all my friends/ I’ve written to every friend I have (not… every my friend)

– All + uncountable nouns (not every)

  • I like all music (not.. every music)

– All or Every + singular countable nouns = every part of/ the whole of

  • She was here all day (from morning to night)
  • She was here every day (=Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday…, Sunday)

– Negative sentences= Not all/every + noun + affirmative verb

  • Not all Scottish people drink whisky
  • Not every student passed the exam

II.

We use every + singular noun (every house / every country etc.):

  • Alice has been to every country in Europe.
  • Every summer we have a holiday by the sea.
  • She looks different every time I see her.

Use a singular verb after every

  • Every house in the street is the same, (not ‘are the same’)
  • •Every country has a national flag, (not ‘have’)

Compare every and all:

  • Every student in the class passed the exam
    All the students in the class passed the exam
  • Every country has a national flag.
    All countries have a national flag.

every day and all day

every day = on all days:

  • how often? EVERY DAY=SUN + WON + TUE + WED + THUR + FRI + SAT
  • A: How often do you read a newspaper? B: Every day.
  • Bill watches TV for about two hours every evening. (= on all evenings)

all day = the complete day:

how long? ALL DAY=Beginning of the day–>End of the dav

  • The weather was bad yesterday. It rained all day.
  • I was tired after work yesterday, so I watched TV all evening. (= the complete evening)

Use a singular verb after everybody/everyone/everything:

  • Everybody has problems, (not ‘Everybody have’)