What Does "as far as i am concerned" Mean?
- Grammatical function: This expression serves as a discourse marker used to qualify a statement as a personal opinion or a specific point of view. It often signals a firm stance, a boundary of personal responsibility, or a sense of finality regarding a topic.
- Typical sentence position: It is most commonly found in the initial position to frame the entire sentence, but it can also appear in the final position as an afterthought or in the medial position to interrupt a clause.
- Register: It is generally neutral to informal, appearing frequently in spoken English and journalism, though it can be used in formal contexts to clearly delineate one person's perspective from a group's.
How to Use It
- Syntactic patterns: When placed at the start, it is followed by a full independent clause (e.g., "As far as I am concerned, the project is a success"). When used at the end, it follows a complete statement.
- Punctuation rules: Use a comma after the phrase when it begins a sentence. If it appears in the middle of a sentence, it should be set off by commas on both sides.
- Grammatical flexibility: The phrase is quite flexible and can be moved without changing the core meaning. It cannot be easily negated (one does not say "as far as I am not concerned"); instead, a different phrase like "it doesn't concern me" would be used.
- What sounds unnatural or incorrect: It sounds unnatural to use this phrase for objective facts (e.g., "As far as I am concerned, water boils at 100 degrees"). It is strictly for subjective viewpoints or personal jurisdictional limits.
Real-World Examples
These examples are sourced from as far as i am concerned on Ludwig.guru.
"As far as I am concerned, he's staying." — independent.co.uk
"The government is clowns as far as I am concerned." — nytimes.com
"As far as I am concerned, the book is closed." — nytimes.com
"As far as I am concerned, it is straightforward." — theguardian.com
"That's what we know and as far as I am concerned all other reports are erroneous." — independent.co.uk
Examples sourced from https://ludwig.guru/s/as+far+as+i+am+concerned
Similar Phrases and Alternatives
| Phrase |
Context |
| in my opinion |
The most direct and neutral alternative for expressing a personal view. |
| from my perspective |
Slightly more formal; emphasizes the specific angle from which one is looking at a situation. |
| to my mind |
A more literary or British English phrasing for expressing a personal judgment. |
| as I see it |
Informal and common in spoken English to introduce a personal interpretation. |
| for my part |
Used when distinguishing one's own opinion or role from that of others. |
Common Mistakes
- Wrong preposition: Learners often incorrectly add a preposition like "about" after the phrase (e.g., "As far as I am concerned about..."), which is grammatically redundant.
- Confusion with similar phrases: Learners often confuse it with as long as (which implies a condition) or as far as I know (which refers to the limit of one's knowledge rather than an opinion).
- Punctuation: Forgetting the comma when the phrase is used at the beginning of a sentence can make the text harder to parse.
Quick-Reference Summary
| Expression |
Function |
Register |
Typical Position |
| as far as I am concerned |
Expresses personal opinion or finality |
Neutral / Informal |
Initial or Final |
FAQs
Where can this expression be placed in a sentence
The expression as far as I am concerned can appear in the sentence-initial position followed by a comma, or in the final position after the main clause. Occasionally, it can be used in a mid-clause position as a parenthetical remark to emphasize a personal stance.
What is the difference between this phrase and as far as I know
While as far as I am concerned expresses a personal opinion or a subjective limit, as far as I know refers to the extent of the speaker's information or knowledge. You use the former to state a firm belief and the latter to admit that your information might be incomplete.
How do I avoid common errors with this phrase
Do not add the preposition about to the end of the phrase, as as far as I am concerned is already a complete prepositional idiom. Additionally, ensure you do not use it when you mean as long as, which introduces a condition rather than an opinion.