THE MYSTERY OF THE MISSING 'IF'...

'It sounded to me as I were speaking perfectly naturally...'

What's wrong with that sentence?  Well, obviously, the

word 'if' is missing - it should more correctly read:  'It sounded

to me as if I were speaking perfectly naturally...'  It's a line from

the fifth chapter of David Whitaker's book, DOCTOR WHO

in an Exciting Adventure with the DALEKS, first published

in 1964.  However, ever since the book was reprinted in the 1970s,

right up to the present day, every new edition has rendered the line

with the missing word.  I don't know about you, but such careless-

ness annoys me.  Anyway, should you ever decide to read (or re-
read) this book, but don't possess an original 1964 hardback

edition or 1965 paperback, when you get to this line, add in
that little missing 'if', eh?  Just for me.  (And, of course,
David Whitaker.  He used it for a reason.)

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