Lesson | Smrt English

Suggest and Prefer Check

Word building suggest

Verb

Noun

Adjective

Adverb

Fixed Expressions

Preference

There are a few very common ways to express preference.

She prefers red wine to white wine.
I would prefer to stay in than go out.
I’d sooner slit my wrists than have to go through all that again!
I’d far rather do it now than have to face it in the morning.
Rather than sit and stare at a screen, I’d prefer to do manual labour.

As and like

When followed by a noun, we use as to give a description and like to make a comparison.

Since Peter has been in Vancouver, he has worked as a pizza delivery man.
He works like a horse.

When we make comparisons, like is followed by a noun phrase.
As is a conjunction and is followed by a verb phrase.

As if and As though

We use as if and as though to say what seems to be true.

He looks as if/as though he is bored.
He looks as if/though he were bored to death.

What is the difference in meaning of these two examples?
How does the meaning change if we add just or exactly or much or almost to as if/though ideas?

He looks just as though he’d won the Lotto 649 jackpot.
They look almost as if they didn’t want to be here.

Exactly/just emphasis the comparison
Much/almost weakens the comparison

Exercise