Like and as are often confused in English. They can both be used to talk about how things are similar.
Like is followed by a noun or pronoun. For example, "I'm like my sister", or "Like my sister, I have brown eyes."
As is followed by a subject and verb. For example, "She's a good student, as her brother was before her."
However, in spoken English, like is often used instead of as. "She's a good student, like her brother was before her."
As is used with a preposition, such as, "As in the 1960's, the population explosion will cause some problems."
We can use as in certain expressions, such as "as you know", "as you requested", "as we agreed".
We also use as…..as to give comparisons. For example, "He's as clever as his sister."
10 comments on “Like and As”
I LOVE THIS PAGE. IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND.
I am a college professor teching ESL. Confusing as the use of "like" and "as" is for native students, it is much more so for non-native learners. Your presentation of the use of these two words is simple and easy to understand.
Isn't the verb "has" implied in "Like [As?] my sister [has brown eyes], I have brown eyes"? Does the rule change based on whether the verb is implied or explicit?
I'd say either:
Like my sister, I have brown eyes.
I have brown eyes, as my sister does / like my sister.
In the case of like / as, I would base my choice on the explicit, rather than implied verb. So after like, use a noun, and after as, a clause.
I'm a Chilean English student, and I think this presentation of the Like / As is very good, and easy to understand. :D
This will help me tomorrow in a presentation at the Univeristy xD so thanks :P
"GOT" a comment?? Shouldn't that read, "HAVE" a comment?
Not necessarily, as "got" is short for "have you got".
What about these " He spoke like my father" and "He spoke as my father" . What should we realise?. In spoken English, should we always use "like" instead of "as" every time then do we make interlocutor misunderstand regrettably ?
Many thanks
He spoke like = he sounded like…
He spoke as = he spoke in the role of…
Excuse me, I still don't understand quite well your explaination. Did you mean "He sounded like.."=" He's not my father" and "He spoke in the role…"="He's really my father" ?
No. "He spoke like my father" = He sounded like my father, but he's not my father. He used the same sort of words as my father would.
"He spoke as my father" = he spoke to me in the role of my father (not in the role of a friend giving advice, for example.)