# Grammar construction question: use of "as"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 12, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557 "2002-07-12T04:12:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557/1 "2002-07-12T04:12:29Z")

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Which is correct?

#1 - As an experienced pool player, I can usually sink four or more balls in a row.

#2 - An experienced pool player, I can usually sink four or more balls in a row.

I used to think #1, but I’ve seen examples like #2 a few times lately. So, is it #1, #2 or both?

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**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557/2 "2002-07-12T04:31:34Z")

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Both are technically correct, but number 1 is preferred. Number two is a bit awkward, but nothing is really wrong with it.

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**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557/3 "2002-07-12T05:49:06Z")

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It’s a matter of style; however, I think when refering to yourself, the inclusion of the “as” helps the sentence flow.

If you were refering to someone else, you could omit the “as”:

eg: Jim, an experienced pool player, can usually sink four or more balls in a row.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [July 12, 2002, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-construction-question-use-of-as/118557/4 "2002-07-12T11:16:37Z")

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Using _as_ in the first construction makes the cause-and-effect relationship explicit, which makes it a little redundant in the sentence you give as an example. You would definitely want to use it, thought, if you were stretching cause-and-effect to its limits for some effect.

> [@](#):
>
> As a professional librarian, I felt it was my right to check the situation out.

😉