Topic: Quick grammar question - "felt like"

[Wonky]

Hi everyone, is the below grammatically correct?

"He felt like he was going to throw up."

Or should it be something like, "He felt as if he was going to throw up." That sounds awkward to me...

[Anne Marie]

"He felt as if he WERE going to throw up" is grammatically correct. (Note my change to the subjunctive mood with WERE, not WAS.)

But if the writing style is casual, you could probably get away with "He felt like he was . . ."

[Mrs. Jones]

Grammar aside, would it be even better to be more specific about what he was feeling? For example: He felt the ??? move in his gut and the bile climb to the top of his his throat. He was going to lose it for sure.

Not that, but you get what I mean. And you may already have those details, but I thought I'd add my two cents. Chuck it if it's not helpful.  :snork

[Wonky]

"He felt as if he WERE going to throw up" is grammatically correct. (Note my change to the subjunctive mood with WERE, not WAS.)

But if the writing style is casual, you could probably get away with "He felt like he was . . ."

Thanks, I think I'll just leave it the way it is.

[Wonky]

Grammar aside, would it be even better to be more specific about what he was feeling? For example: He felt the ??? move in his gut and the bile climb to the top of his his throat. He was going to lose it for sure.

Not that, but you get what I mean. And you may already have those details, but I thought I'd add my two cents. Chuck it if it's not helpful.  :snork

Don't worry, I'm just making sure I don't make a noob-style grammar flub.

[Lill]

I agree with AM.
Whether you go formal or casual depends on the voice of your story.

[MegM]

I used 'like' in that context throughout a recent novel and it rang no copyediting alarm bells here in Australia. But when the book was being prepped for US publication, the editor wanted them all changed to 'as if'. I just thought it was a US/Aus thing - didn't realise I could have argued for them on the basis of informality (first-person voice, middle-grade protag/audience).

[wolfie712]

"He felt like he was going to throw up."

This sounds normal and grammatically correct to my ear.

[Christy]

I think it's fine but I avoid the word 'felt' whenever I can because often you really don't need it.

[Kurtis]

You know, I think Christy's right. I don't think "He felt like..." is grammatically incorrect (if so, why?) but "He was going to throw up" is more immediate.

But all of that aside, puking and almost-puking are so cliched in upper MG/YA these days it makes me want to...