117 : like and as

   A   

Like = 'similar to', 'the same as'. You cannot use as in this way:

• What a beautiful house! It's like a palace. (not as a palace)
• 'What does Sandra do?'  'She's a teacher, like me.' (not as me)
• Be careful! The floor has been polished. It's like walking on ice. (not as walking)
• It's raining again. I hate weather like this. (not as this)

 

In these sentences, like is a preposition. So it is followed by a noun (like a palace), a pronoun (like me / like this) or -ing (like walking).

 

You can also say '... like (somebody/something) doing something':

• 'What's that noise?'  'It sounds like a baby crying.'

 

 

Sometimes like = for example:

• I enjoy water sports, like surfing, scuba diving and water-skiing.

 

You can also use such as (= for example):

• I enjoy water sports, such as surfing, scuba diving and water-skiing.

 

 

   B   

As = in the same way as, or in the same condition as. We use as before subject + verb:

• I didn't move anything. I left everything as it was.
• You should have done it as I showed you.

 

We also use like in this way:

• 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:

• You're late as usual.
• As always, Nick was the first to complain.

 

 

   C   

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 / as I thought etc. :

• As you know, it's Emma's birthday next week. (= you know this already)
• Andy failed his driving test, as he expected. (= he expected this before)

 

Like is not usual in these expressions, except with say (like I said):

• As I said yesterday, I'm sure we can solve the problem. or  Like I said yesterday ...

 

 

   D   

As can also be a preposition, but the meaning is different from like.

 

Compare:

As a taxi driver, I spend most of my working life in a car. (I am a taxi driver, that is my job)

Everyone wants me to drive them to places. I'm like a taxi driver. (I'm not a taxi driver, but I'm like one)

 

As (preposition) = in the position of, in the form of etc. :

• Many years ago I worked as a photographer. (not like a photographer)
• Many words, for example 'work' and 'rain', can be used as verbs or nouns.
• London is fine as a place to visit, but I wouldn't like to live there.
• The news of the tragedy came as a great shock.