UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIN HUMANAS Y

TECNOLOGAS
LANGUAGE CAREER
GRAMMAR VI

TOPIC:
LIKE AND AS

STUDENTS:
ELVIS GUARANGA
DIANA MENDOZA
PROFESSOR:
MSC. MAGDALENA ULLAURI
NOVIEMBRE 2015 FEBRERO 2016

LIKE AND AS
SIMILARITIES
When we want to talk about two things that are similar or the same we can use like and as.
Like= similar to, the same as. You cannot use AS in this way.
What a beautiful house! Its like a palace (not as a palace).
What does Sandra do? She is a teacher like me. (Not as me).
To stop you getting confused when you use them remember these rules:
Like
Like is used as a preposition and should be followed by a noun:
"It's hot in this room. It's like an oven!" - Both an oven and this room are hot
"She works in a hotel, like me." - We both work in a hotel.
As
As is used to compare something that is the same as something else, or in the same
condition.
Use a subject and a verb after as.
"As I told you, the meeting started at 3pm."
"It rained all weekend as we thought it would."
EXAMPLES

Sometimes like= for example

Some sports, like motor-racing, can be dangerous.
You can also use such as (=for example):
Some sports such as motor-racing can be dangerous.
STRUCTURE
We generally use LIKE and AS to make comparisons.
LIKE
The structure of the sentence is usually: VERB + LIKE + NOUN / PRONOUN.
He speaks like a native speaker.
She looks like a supermodel.
AS
The structure of the sentence is usually: AS + SUBJECT + VERB.
Nobody sings as she does.
They went to the party as they were.
Like is also possible in informal spoken English
I left everything like it was.
Compare as and like:

You should have done it as I showed you. (Or like I showed you)
You should have done it like this. (Not as this)
NOTE THAT WE SAY AS USUAL / AS ALWAYS:
Youre late as usual.
As always, Nick was the first to complain.
EXPECTATIONS
Sometimes as (+ subject + verb) has other meanings. For example, after do:
You can do as you like ( = do what you like)
They did as they promised. (=they did what they promised)
We also say as you know / as I said / as she expected (=he expected this before)
Like is not usual in these expressions, except with say (like I said):
As I said yesterday, Im sure we can solve the problem. Or like I said yesterday.
LIKE vs. AS
Be careful, in similar sentences that use LIKE and AS, the meanings of each
sentence are very different. For example:
As your boss, I must warn you to be careful. (I am your boss.)
Like your boss, I must warn you to be careful. (I am not your boss, but he/she and I have
similar attitudes.)

WHEN TO USE LIKE, WHEN TO USE AS

The proper way to differentiate between like and as is to use like when no verb
follows. For example, Squiggly throws like a raccoon or Aardvark acted just like my
brother. Notice that when I use like, the words that come after are generally simple. A
raccoon and my brother are the objects of the preposition.
If the clause that comes next includes a verb, then you should use as. For example,
Squiggly throws as if he was a raccoon or Aardvark acted just as I would expect my brother
to behave. Notice that when I use as, the words that come after tend to be more complex.
You generally hear like used in everyday speech, so that helps me remember that
like is the simpler wordor at least it is followed by simpler words. As sounds stuffier and
is followed by a more complex clause that contains a verb.
AS PREPOSITION
In the position of, in the form of etc.:
A few years ago I worked as a taxi driver. (Not like a taxi driver)
We havent got a car, so we use the garage as a workshop.
Many words, for example work and rain, can be used as verbs or nouns.
London is fine as a place to visit, but I wouldnt like to live there.
The news of the tragedy came as a great shock.
WHEN TO USE AS

We use as to talk about function.

I worked as a teacher for 2 years when I lived in Barcelona.
She used his chair as a stool to climb over a wall.
In comparisons, we use as adjective as.
Hes not as handsome as his brother
He jumped as high as he could.
In the following comparisons as is a conjunction its followed by a clause with a
subject and a verb.
He went to Wellington Idiomas to study English as his father did before him.
Shes a talented singer, as most of her family were.
WHEN TO USE LIKE
In the following comparisons, like is a preposition and its followed by a noun or a
pronoun.
Ive been running like a madman all afternoon.
None of my family are like me. They are all so different.
She looks just like her a supermodel!
Like and As if/As though

Like, as if and as though can all be used to make comparisons.

You look as if youve seen a the devil!
It looks like its going to rain soon!
Expressions with As
As you know, English classes restart in January.
As we agreed the lesson will be cancelled tomorrow.
Their car is the same as ours.
COMPARE
I am your friend, and as your friend I advise you to be careful.
= It is my role as a friend to warn you.
I don't know you, but like your friend, I advise you to be careful.
= I think the same way as your friend. I am like your friend in that respect.
LIKE OR AS.
This is another instance where a simple rule will help you to make sense of
something that many people still get wrong. Like is a preposition (don't panic), which
means that it can come before a noun but it should not come before a whole clause
containing a verb. As is a conjunction, and can be used before a clause containing a verb.
As I told you, the car was parked behind a tree.

We could take a trip to the coast, just like old times.

As we thought, the weather was awful.
In formal academic text, you should avoid using 'like' in a sentence like this one.
It looks like it is going to rain.
The hero feels like he is the most powerful man on earth.
He looks like he has had a rough night.
It is better to substitute 'like' with 'as if'
It looks as if it is going to rain.
The hero feels as if he is the most powerful man on earth.
He looks as if he has had a rough night.
When listing things that are similar it is better to avoid 'like' and use 'such as', as in
these examples.
The hero has many engaging qualities like courage, kindness and compassion.
The hero has many engaging qualities such as courage, kindness and compassion.
I have visited many tropical countries like India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and Brunei.
I have visited many tropical countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia and
Brunei.
In this country we eat a lot of junk food like chips, hamburgers and other rubbish.

In this country we eat a lot of junk food such as chips, hamburgers and other rubbish.
As your teacher, I suggest you study more. (Spanish: Soy tu profesor.)
Like your teacher, I suggest you study more. (Spanish: Estoy de acuerdo con tu profesor.)

BIBLIOGRAPHY
BRISTOL, U. O. (2002). FACULTY OF ARTS. Retrieved 09 07, 2015, from FACULTY OF
ARTS:
http://www.bristol.ac.uk/arts/exercises/grammar/grammar_tutorial/page_19.htm
Ltda, W. (2013). WORDWARD. Retrieved 09 06, 2015, from WORDWARD:
http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/Like_vs_As.htm
McCarthy, C. (2014). LEARN ENGLISH. Retrieved 09 07, 2015, from LEARN ENGLISH:
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/like-and-as
ROBBINS, S. (2014). QUICK AND DIRTY TIPS. Retrieved 09 06, 2015, from QUICK
AND DIRTY TIPS: http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/likeversus-as
TODAY, L. E. (2003). LEARN ENGLISH TODAY. Retrieved 09 09, 2015, from LEARN
ENGLISH
TODAY:
http://www.learn-englishtoday.com/lessons/lesson_cont/grammar/like-as.html

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EUCACION HUMANAS Y TECNOLOGIAS

LANGUAGES CAREER
GRAMMAR VI
NAME: _______________________________________
DATE: ______________________________________
COURSE: __________________________________
TIME: 10 Minutes
OBJECTIVE: Recognize the use of LIKE and AS
WRITE THE BEST ANSWER LIKE/AS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

She sings ______ an angel.

I'm much better ______ you can see.
My sister is not at all ______ me.
My daughter is just ______ my sister.
I'm attending the meeting ______ an observer.

CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

I use one of the bedrooms like/as an office.

You are very like/as your mother.
I hope to qualify like/as an engineer.
My friend Rob looks like/as John Travolta.
There is too much traffic in London like/as in New York.

UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO

FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EUCACION HUMANAS Y TECNOLOGIAS
LANGUAGES CAREER
GRAMMAR VI
NAME: _______________________________________
DATE: ______________________________________
COURSE: __________________________________
TIME: 10 Minutes

OBJECTIVE: Recognize the use of LIKE and AS

WRITE THE BEST ANSWER LIKE/AS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

She sings __LIKE____ an angel.

I'm much better _AS___ you can see.
My sister is not at all _LIKE_____ me.
My daughter is just __LIKE____ my sister.
I'm attending the meeting __AS___ an observer.

CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWER

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

I use one of the bedroo (ROBBINS, 2014)ms like/as an office.

You are very like/as your mother.
I hope to qualify like/as an engineer.
My friend Rob looks like/as John Travolta.
There is too much traffic in London like/as in New York.