Section 11 complex sentences and adverbial clauses of comparison and manner

Exercise 1 p. 69.

Write out the conjunctions used to join the adverbial clauses of comparison and manner.

1) The intervals were never as long as they had seemed (Gr). 2) Roy was as sick as he expected to be (Ald). 3) It proved more difficult to get out of the Phat Diem area than it had been to get in (Gr). 4) Roy watched these two men as he had never watched them before (Ald). 5) Roy was stretched to his full length moaning sometimes as if he were in pain (Ald). 6) “He will not be long,” she said as though I needed comfort for his absence (Gr).

Exercise 2 p. 69.

Classify the subordinate clauses joined by as into adverbial clauses of comparison and manner, adverbial clauses of time or cause or attributive clauses and state whether as is a conjunction or a relative pronoun.

1) Roy did as he was told, and as he felt the weight taken off his back he found it more difficult to stand (Ald). 2) Write that you decline to support that scheme of hers, as you hold it to be a dishonest scheme (Wld). 3) The Coroner himself had had business relations with French persons in his capacity as a solicitor, and could assure such of the jury as had never been in France that they ought to allow for these different standards (Sy). 4) Scotty had liked Andy just as they had all liked him, but it was clear that he liked Andy no more (Ald). 5) I never saw such luck as that fellow had! (Crn) 6) Roy was so tired as he walked in the night that sleep seemed all the ultimate good that man could require (Ald). 7) I want you in my room and as Helen Burns is with you, she may come too (ChB).

Exercise 3 p. 70.

Analyse the moods of the verbs in bold type in the adverbial clauses of comparison and manner joined by as if, as though.

1)I can see her as though it were but yesterday (DuM). 2) Stephanie continued to read as if no one else were in the room (Sxt). 3) This is the last letter I shall write to you. If I should happen to return, when we meet I will act as if this had never been written (W). 4) The world saw a serious and rather silent little man going about his work as though he would go on doing it forever (Dp). 5) She’ll proceed with her French lesson, as if nothing had happened (Bt). 6) I found you staring at me across the kitchen table as if you’d never seen me before (Sxt). 7) She dropped the journal as if it had been a living coal of fire (Gls).¹8) Leeds shook her head again as if shecould find no words to express herself (Sxt). 9) Erik, don’t say it as if you hate me (W). 10) If he is able to have dinner with you, take a book to your window as though you want to catch the light (Gr). 11) Johnny kept glancing at him as if he were trying to think of something to say (Sxt). 12) And I treat a duchess as if she was a flower girl (Sh).¹13) “Are you still working for your uncle?” – “Oh, yes,” replied Clyde quickly, as though itwould make an enormous difference to her if he were not (Dr).

Exercise 4 p. 70.

Make up complex sentences with adverbial clauses of comparison according to the patterns.

Pattern I
Principal clause	As if As though	Subordinate clause Oblique mood forms of the type were, spoke (had been, had spoken)
e.g. She speaks (spoke) English so well as if she were a native. She looks (looked) so pale as though she had been ill for some time.

1) He dances so well as if … . 2) Why do you keep whispering as if … . 3) He treated me so badly as though … . 4) … as if he really thought so. 5) … as if she had never seen me. 6) … as though he were sick. 7) She ran so fast as if … . 8) … as if nothing could induce her to. 9) The little girl behaved as if … . 10) … as though I were a Strr. 11) I will act as if … . 12) The boy was stammering as if … .

Pattern II
9Principal clause	As if As though	Subordinate clause Indicative mood1
e.g. He acts as if he is a coward. He acted as if he was a coward.

1) He teaches them so well as if … . 2) … as if he knows me. 3) She is reciting the poem in such a hurry as if … . 4) … as though he has lived here for ages. 5) They were packing so hastily as though … . 6) … as if he is deaf. 7) … as if she does not know me. 8) Don’t run so fast as if … . 9) She passed by without greeting me as if … .