Using 'as' and 'like'

Using 'as' and 'like'

Do you know how to use like and as? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

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

'as' and 'like': 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

'as' and 'like': Grammar test 2

Language level

Average: 4.7 (60 votes)
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Submitted by Carla567 on Wed, 25/09/2024 - 15:59

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Why in this song it's used as and not like?

 

'' You know you're bright as the morning, as soft as the rain
Pretty as a vine, as sweet as a grape''

 

Hello Carla567,

We use like to show two things are similar:

His house was big, like my grandmother's house. [his house is big and my grandmother's house is also big]

We use as + adjective + as to show two things are the same in some way:

His house was as big as my grandmother's house. [his house and my grandmother's house are the same size]

In your examples the singer is saying each pair of things are equal or the same, not just similar. Note that sometimes we can omit the first 'as' in the phrase. This is useful in a song where you want to maintain a certain rhythm.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Abu_Abu on Sat, 14/09/2024 - 04:01

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Greetings. Could you please help with these sentences?

#1 Jack is not a liar, as is the case with John. = Jack is not a liar, and John is not a liar.
#2 Jack is not a liar, as isn't the case with John. = Jack is not a liar, and John is a liar.
#3 Jack is not a liar, as is John. = #1
#4 Jack is not a liar, as isn't John. = #2

Are the meanings right?

Hello Abu_Abu,

As your examples show, we use 'as is' to show a similarity between items. However, there is no negative equivalent so we do not use 'as isn't' in the same way.

#1 Jack is not a liar, as is the case with John. = Jack is not a liar, and John is not a liar.

The verb here is negative (is not) and so we would not use 'as is'. Instead, we would use 'neither': ...and neither is John.

#2 Jack is not a liar, as isn't the case with John. = Jack is not a liar, and John is a liar.

As I said above, there is no negative form of 'as is'.  Here, a contrastive device is needed such as 'while' or 'whereas': ...whereas/while John is (a liar).

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello again Peter,

Thank you very much for this clear explanation.

So, I can say:

#1 Jack is a liar, as is the case with John. = Jack is a liar, and John is a liar.

#2 Jack is a liar, as is John. = Jack is a liar, and John is a liar. 

#3 Jack is not a liar, neither is John. = Jack is not a liar, and John is not a liar.

#4 Jack is not a liar, while/whereas John is. = Jack is not a liar, and John is a liar. 

Submitted by Radioheady on Wed, 29/05/2024 - 19:12

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Hello sir. I come across both "as planned" and "as was planned", "as expected" and "as was expected" while reading. Are they all acceptable? If so, any difference? And why is "as planned" grammatically correct, given that there seems no predicate in "as planned"?

Thank you for your time.

Hi Radioheady,

Yes, all these are acceptable, and there is no difference in meaning. 

This is the passive (be + past participle) reduced by deleting "be". After "as", the present and past simple passives can be reduced in this way (similar to how they can be reduced in a relative clause, e.g. The picture shown here = The picture which/that is shown here).

Jonathan

LearnEnglish team

Submitted by Cmae on Mon, 12/02/2024 - 08:57

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So in order to check I’ve understood everything. In the following situation…
I see it as an opportunity to learn
I see it like an opportunity to learn
Would you use “as” because you are talking of a function? Or do you use both because like can be used + a noun?
Thank you in advanced!