Look at these examples to see how as and like are used.
I worked as an actor for two years.
I went home early as I felt ill.
He looks as if he hasn't slept.
As you know, this is the third time I've had to complain.
He looks like his dad.
She's like a sister to me.
Try to do something relaxing, like reading a book or having a bath.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
as and like are often confused since they can both be used for comparisons. There are, however, important differences.
Making comparisons
as + adjective + as and as much as
We often use the structure as + adjective + as or as much as to say if something has, or doesn't have, the same amount of that quality as something else.
She loves curry as much as I do.
He's not as tall as his brother.
It's not as expensive as the other hotel.
That dog is as big as that child!
You also have to use as in the expression the same as.
Your phone is the same as mine.
Texting is not the same as speaking in person.
like + noun
In the following comparisons, like is followed by a noun or a pronoun to say that two things are similar.
He's like a father to me.
She's acting like a child.
It's like a burger but with big mushrooms instead of bread.
There are lots of people like us.
It is also common to make comparisons using like with verbs of the senses.
She looks like her mother.
It sounds like a cat.
Nothing tastes like homemade lemonade.
It smells like medicine.
It feels like cotton.
as if/as though + clause
As if and as though can be used to compare a real situation to an imaginary situation. They are followed by a clause (a subject and verb).
You look as if you've seen a ghost.
I felt as if I was floating above the ground.
You talk as though we're never going to see each other again.
Giving examples
We can say like or such as to give examples.
You could try a team sport like football, basketball or hockey.
You should take something soft, such as a towel, to lie on.
Talking about a job or function
We can use as + noun to talk about a job or function.
I worked as a shop assistant for two years.
He used his coat as a blanket to keep warm.
as to connect two phrases
as can be used as a conjunction to connect two phrases. It can have different meanings.
as = 'because'
All the tickets were sold out as we got there too late.
As the road was closed, I had to park on the next street.
as = 'while' or 'during the time that'
She called as I was getting out of the bath.
As they were arriving, we were leaving.
as = 'in the way that'
As we expected, it started to rain.
As you know, classes restart on 15 January.
As I said, I think this project will be a challenge.
** Note that in informal speech, people sometimes say like for 'in the way that'.
Like I said, I didn't know her.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello mynameiscg,
The first one is correct, and the second one is not.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello PLion2020,
Most people can learn a lot from self-study. We've had users who reported making lots of progress by using our Skills and Podcasts, so I'd encourage you to check those out. You might also want to consider subscribing -- there are already hours and hours worth of materials available there, and every month we add more new materials there.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello flowerpower,
Aside from 'as if' being a little more informal, there is no difference in meaning between 'as if' and 'as though'. You could use either of them in that sentence and they'd both mean the same thing.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello MARUFA MARJAN PRITHIE,
You're correct that we use a present form after 'as if' when we consider the situation true or possible, so 'as if you had seen...' is strictly the logical choice here. However, people are not always entirely logical and the speaker in this example is speaking as if it were true that ghosts exist. I can't say if they really believe in ghosts or if they are simply saying this for rhetorical effect.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Harry,
No, those are not grammatically correct forms.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Zin Mar Htun,
Many people say 'He acts like he knows everything' and so it is correct from that point of view. It would probably be better to say 'as if' instead of 'like', though, since probably he actually doesn't know everything. As is explained above, we use 'as if' or 'as though' when comparing a real situation ('He acts') with an imaginary situation ('he knows everything').
The second sentence is not wrong, but it's a little unclear. It could mean 'They can't love you like they can love me' or it could mean 'They can't love you like I can love you'. I'd suggest you make the sentence more specific so that the meaning is clear.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hi simonenmourao,
Yes, as and like are a bit tricky :)
Like + noun is correct. But, like isn't the only word that is followed by a noun. We use as + noun too, especially to talk about a job or function. Here are some examples.
Does that make sense?
Jonathan
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Gadfly62,
There's no correct answer to this. It really depends on the individual learner. LearnEnglish is designed so that it can be used as a course, following a traditional level progression from A1 to C2, or as a self-access set of resources, which the learner selects from on the basis of their needs and interests.
The levels we have are intended only as guidance. They are necessarily generalisations and it's important to remember that each individual learner operates at a range of different levels: they may be very advanced in terms of reading and writing, but find speaking and listening very difficult, for example. Different learners have different needs, too: one person may need to be very accurate in writing for their job, which would suggest a focus on grammatical strutures, while another may need to be fluent without being particularly accurate.
I think the best advice I can give is for you to be aware of your own strengths and weaknesses, and to be conscious of your own needs. Use these to guide you and you will not go far wrong, I think.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Suraj Singh,
Thank you very much for your lovely comment. We try to help as many people as we can here on LearnEnglish and it's nice to know we are appreciated!
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Salva77,
It's correct except for 'knocked the door'. I expect the idea here was 'knocked on the door', though 'knocked down the door' is also possible.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Eltayeb,
That's not quite correect. I think what you mean is this:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Harry,
It is possible to use 'as much as', but I'm afraid your example doesn't make sense. You seem to be using 'appeal' as a verb here, which I don't understand.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Tawid,
I think the way we would say it is this:
or
However, I think the best way to say it would be to change the order a little:
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello MarciaBT,
The first example does not make sense. It may be that the missing part of the sentence helps, but as it is quoted it is not grammatical.
In the second sentence you could replace 'but so too was his' with 'as was his' (without 'but').
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello Mr.hanymabrok,
Yes, you can write both of these sentences with 'as if', and you can also write both of them with 'as though'.
'as if' (and even 'like') are more common in informal speaking nowadays, and 'as though' is a bit formal. But they all mean the same thing.
All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team