Hi, every one
I listen a song called “Live like you were dying by Tim Mcgraw”
I cannot understand why the title named like that.
Living is a present, were dying is past continuous tense
Living at this moment like dying from the past ?
What is the different from the meaning if I substitute “were” with are in this sentence ?
“Live like you are dying ?”
Thank you for your reading and helping.
Here “like” means “as if”, and “were dying” is subjunctive mood, describing a hypothetical/imaginary state, not past tense.
“Live like you are dying” is also possible. It sounds more direct.
Thank you for your help Dozy, you again
Could you help me the last question for this topic ?
If I use “Live like you be dying ?” (present subjunctive, instead of “were” as a past subjunctive")
What is the different from the meaning ?
Subjunctives of the form “be ~ing” are not used in modern English. This pattern sounds archaic, like something out of an old book.