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Unit 117 · Conjunctions and prepositions

Like and as

Study

A

Like = similar to, the same as:

›

What a beautiful house! It’s like a palace. (not as a palace)

›

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)

›

'What’s that noise?' 'It sounds like a baby crying.' (not as a baby crying)

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

Sometimes like = for example. You can also use such as:

›

I enjoy water sports, like surfing, scuba diving and water-skiing. or I enjoy water sports, such as surfing …

B

As = in the same way as, in the same condition as.

We use as with subject (S) + verb (V):

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I didn’t move anything. I left everything as it was.

›

You should have done it as I showed you.

S + V
as it was
as I showed

We also use like in this way (+ subject + verb):

›

I left everything like it was.

Compare as and like. You can say:

›

You should have done it as I showed you. or … like I showed you.

but You should have done it like this. (not as this)

We say as usual / as always:

›

You’re late as usual.

›

As always, Nick was the first to complain.

We say the same as … :

›

Your phone is the same as mine. (not the same like)

C

Sometimes as (+ subject + verb) has other meanings. For example, after do:

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You can do as you like. (= do what you like)

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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. :

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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 (as + noun), 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, it’s my job.)

Everyone in the family 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. (I was 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.

as … as ➜ Unit 107 · as (= at the same time as / because) ➜ Unit 116 · as if ➜ Unit 118

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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117.1

In some of these sentences, you need like (not as). Correct the sentences where necessary. Write 'OK' if the sentence is correct.

  1. 1
    It’s raining again. I hate weather as this. I hate weather like this.example
  2. 2
    You should have done it as I showed you. OKexample
  3. 3
    Do you think James looks his father?
  4. 4
    He gets on my nerves. I can’t stand people him.
  5. 5
    Why didn’t you do it as I told you to do it?
  6. 6
    her mother, Katherine has a very good voice.
  7. 7
    You never listen. Talking to you is talking to the wall.
  8. 8
    I prefer the room as it was, before we decorated it.
  9. 9
    I’ll phone you tomorrow as usual, OK?
  10. 10
    She’s a very good swimmer. She swims a fish.
117.2

Which goes with which?

  1. 1I won’t be able to come to the party.
  2. 2I like Tom’s idea.
  3. 3I’m fed up with my job.
  4. 4You drive too fast.
  5. 5You don’t have to take my advice.
  6. 6I couldn’t get a seat on the train.
  1. aIt was full, as I expected.
  2. bAs I’ve told you before, it’s boring.
  3. cAs you know, I’ll be away.
  4. dYou can do as you like.
  5. eLet’s do as he suggests.
  6. fYou should take more care, as I keep telling you.
117.3

Complete the sentences using like or as + the following:

a beginnerblocks of icea palacea birthday presenta childa theatrewintera tour guide
  1. 1
    This house is beautiful. It’s .example
  2. 2
    My feet are really cold. They’re .
  3. 3
    I’ve been playing tennis for years, but I still play .
  4. 4
    Marion once had a part-time job .
  5. 5
    I wonder what that building is. It looks .
  6. 6
    My brother gave me this watch a long time ago.
  7. 7
    It’s very cold for the middle of summer. It’s .
  8. 8
    He’s 22 years old, but he sometimes behaves .
117.4

Put in like or as. Sometimes either word is possible.

  1. 1
    We heard a noise a baby crying.example
  2. 2
    I wish I had a car yours.
  3. 3
    Hannah has been working a waitress for the last two months.
  4. 4
    We saw Kevin last night. He was very cheerful, always.
  5. 5
    You waste a lot of time doing things sitting in cafes all day.
  6. 6
    you can imagine, we were very tired after such a long journey.
  7. 7
    Tom showed me some photos of the city it was thirty years ago.
  8. 8
    My neighbour’s house is full of interesting things. It’s a museum.
  9. 9
    In some countries in Asia, Japan, Indonesia and Thailand, traffic drives on the left.
  10. 10
    The weather hasn’t changed. It’s the same yesterday.
  11. 11
    You’re different from the other people I know. I don’t know anyone else you.
  12. 12
    The news that they are getting married came a complete surprise to me.
  13. 13
    This tea is awful. It tastes water.
  14. 14
    Suddenly there was a terrible noise. It was a bomb exploding.
  15. 15
    Right now I’m working in a shop. It’s not great, but it’s OK a temporary job.
  16. 16
    Brian is a student, most of his friends.