Info

AS or LIKE?

As and like are often confused in English because we use them both to talk about things that are similar.
In American English, like is often used as a conjunction (instead of as), but the conjunctive use of like is not correct.

AS

It’s a CONJUNCTION. It should be followed by a clause containing a subject and a verb.
The structure of the sentence is usually: AS + SUBJECT + VERB

EXAMPLES

  • He runs as a gazzelle does.
  • Nobody plays tennis as he does.
  • She’s a good singer, as her mother was before her.

As can also be a preposition, but with a different meaning from like. The meaning of as in this case is: ‘in the position of‘; ‘in the form of‘, etc.

  • Last year, I worked as a secretary in my brother’s office.
  • The news of her death came as a great shock.

LIKE = ‘similar to’; ‘the same as’; ‘for example‘(= such as).

It’s a PREPOSITION. It should be followed by an object to make a prepositional phrase.
The structure of the sentence is usually: VERB + LIKE + NOUN / PRONOUN / -ING. You can also say ‘like (somebody/something) doing something’.

Examples:

  • It’s hot in this room. It’s like an oven!
  • He speaks like a native speaker.
  • He runs like a gazzelle.
  • The floor has been polished. It’s like walking on ice!
  • It sounds like a dog barking.