Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[mings]

Is the sentence wrong?
"It looked as if there wasn't anyone in the building."
Thanks.

[bud]

No, it's perfect!

[mings]

Dear Sir,
But I think it should be "there weren't" because I am taught after as if the verb "be" should be "were" not "was". Is it right?
Please help. Thanks.

[bud]

That sounds like a rule about the moods of verbs. I know nothing about that topic, but even so, I'm 99.731% positive that your sentence is correct.

[mings]

Be sure again that I do this rightly.

" It looked as if there weren't anyone in the building."

Please say "yes".

[stellara]

i don't know this rule... "anyone" is singular so why should there be were?? I'd say was.

greets
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Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[mings]

Do you agree with me about how I use the tense in the sentence?

" He takes care of me as if he were my father."

It is impossibe to use "was" because he is not my father.

[stellara]

ahm, yes, i do..
but doesn't was imply too the conjunctive form?

I'm still confused because here i'd say it like you wrote, with were, but the other sentence I would use both possibilities..
_________________
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[mings]

I think either were or was not both.
There will always be confusion if you don't decide which one.
I need an answer from a specialist.

[stellara]

I meant both versions are right in my opinion not that i would use both at once.
yes a specialist would be helpful..
_________________
Don't cry because it's over - smile because it happened!

MOKEY ROCKS!!!

[bud]

All I can say is that I agree with Stellara: I don't like the first sentence with "were," but the second sounds fine either way.

Bob? Asterix? Iitimone? Anyone?

[asterix]

"It looked as if there wasn't anyone in the building." Is incorrect grammar.
It should read, It looked as if there were nobody in the building. (Or, weren't anybody).
The subjunctive mood should be used to express doubt or uncertainty after as if or as though.

[bud]

Thank you, Asterix. It sounds correct to me with "nobody," but it still sounds strange with "anybody." It's the same grammar, though, so I believe you that it is correct.

[asterix]

I think you'll hear the incorrect version spoken more often than the grammatical version, unfortunately.

[wing]

Excuse me, could you explain the following sentence to me?

--They stared at me as if I was crazy. (I'm sure that I'm not crazy)