English Grammar
LIKE - AS
How and when to use 'like' and 'as' in English.
It's not always easy for learners to know when to use 'like' and 'as'.
Here are some guidelines.
- LIKE:
Like is a preposition, used before a noun or pronoun, to say that two things are similar.
They behave or operate in the same way.
- In his job he works like a slave.
- The children swim like fish.
- The boy runs like a hare.
- I slept like a baby.
- AS:
As, as a preposition, before a noun or pronoun, is used to refer to jobs or functions,
the role of a person or the use of something.
- My father worked as an accountant.
- Caroline was employed as a teacher.
- The author is respected as a writer.
- He used a saucer as an ashtray.
- 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.
- I am your friend, and as your
friend I advise you to be careful.
LIKE and AS are also used as below:
LIKE |
As a verb meaning ‘enjoy’.
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As a noun: the like/the likes (=similar types).
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As an adjective meaning ‘similar’.
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Like (instead of 'such as') can be used to introduce examples
:
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In spoken English, ‘like’ can be used as a conjunction
connecting two clauses. *NB: This is considered incorrect in traditional grammar books, so best avoided in academic writing.
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AS |
As an adverb meaning ‘just like’
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As a conjunction - connecting two clauses - meaning ‘while’ - meaning ‘although’ - meaning ‘the way in which’ - meaning ‘because’
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