UNIT 117

Like and as

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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.'

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B
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.

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C
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.
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:
 You're late as usual.
 As always, Nick was the first to complain.
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D
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 …

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E
As can also be a preposition, but the meaning is different from like.
Compare:
Sue Casey is the manager of a Mary Stone is assistant manager. Like
company. As the manager, she has to the manager (Sue Casey), she also has
make many important decisions. (As to make important decisions. (Like the
the manager = in the position as the manager = similar to the manager)
manager.)

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 haven’t 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 wouldn’t like to live there.
 The news of the tragedy came as a great shock.
 

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EXERCISES
117.1 In some of these sentences, you need like (not as). Correct the
sentences where necessary.
 
1. It’s raining again. I hate weather as this. Weather like this
2. Andy failed his driving test, as he expected. OK
3. Do you think Caroline looks as her mother? _________
4. Tim gets on my nerves. I can't stand people as him. _________
5. Why didn't you do it as I told you to do it? _________
6. Brian is a student, as most of his friends. _________
7. You never listen. Talking to you is as talking to the wall. _________
8. As I said yesterday, I'm thinking of changing my job. _________
9. Tom's idea seems a good one. Let's do as he suggests. _________
10. I'll phone you tomorrow as usual, OK? _________
11. Suddenly there was a terrible noise. It was as a bomb exploding.
________
12. She's a very good swimmer. She swims as a fish. _________

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117.2 Complete the sentences using like or as + the following:
A beginner blocks of ice a palace a birthday present
A child a church winter a tourist guide
1. This house is beautiful. It’s like a palace.
2. My feet are really cold. They’re _________
3. I’ve been playing tennis for years, but I still play _________
4. Marion once had a part-time job _________
5. I wonder what that building with the tower is. I looks _________
6. My brother gave me this watch _________
7. It’s very cold for the middle of summer. It’s _________.
8. He’s 22 years old, but he sometimes behaves _________.

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117.3 Put in like or as. Sometimes either word is possible.
1. We heard a noise like a baby crying.
2. Your English is very fluent. I wish I could speak ______ you.
3. Don't take my advice if you don't want to. You can do ______you
like.
4. You waste too much time doing things ______sitting in cafes all
day.
5. I wish I had a car ______yours.
6. You don't need to change your clothes. You can go out ______you
are.
7. My neighbour's house is full of lots of interesting things. It's
______a museum.
8. We saw Kevin last night. He was very cheerful, ______always.
9. Sally has been working ______a waitress for the last two months.
10. While we were on holiday, we spent most of our time doing
energetic things ______ sailing, water skiing and swimming.
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11. You’re different from the other people I know. I don’t know anyone
______ you.
12. We don’t need all the bedrooms in the house, so we use one of them
______ a study.
13. The news that Sue and Gary were getting married came ______ a
complete surprise to me.
14. ______ her father, Catherine has a very good voice.
15. At the moment I’ve got a temporary job in a bookshop. It’s Ok
______ a temporary job, but I wouldn’t like to do it permanently.
16. ______ you can imagine, we were very tired after such a long
journey.
17. This tea is awful. It tastes ______ water.
18. I think I prefer this room ______ it was, before we decorated it.

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