LIKE

VS

AS

LIKE IS A PREPOSITION
It is followed by nouns,
pronouns or ing.

It means similar to, the

same as of for example.

The same as
What do you do?
Im a student,
like you.
(pronoun)

Example.
Why are
you always
speaking
about
boring
things like
maths?
(noun)

SIMILAR TO

Be careful!
The floor has been polished.
Its like walking on ice.
(ing)

AS

IS USED BEFORE A SUBJECT

You should do it like

this.

+ VERB

You should do it as
Im showing you.
Dont move anything.
Leave everything as it
is.

AS

(OTHER MEANINGS)
Some sports, such as motor-racing, can be dangerous.

You are late as usual!

They did as they promised.
Anna failed her driving test, as we expected.
As you know, tomorrow its her birthday.
As I said, this car is very expensive.

AS CAN BE ALSO A PREPOSITION, AND SO CAN BE

FOLLOWED BY NOUNS, BUT THE MEANING IS
DIFFERENT FROM LIKE.

1.

2.

We use LIKE to compare

things:
She looks beautiful; like a
princess. (she is beautiful,
but she is not a princess)
Everyone is ill at home. Our
house is like a hospital. (the
house isnt really a
hospital)

1.

2.

3.

We use AS to say what

somethign really is or
was: (especially to talk
about jobs or how we use
something)
A few years ago I
worked as a driver. (I
really was a driver)
During the war this
hotel was used as a
hospital. (it was really a
hospital)
The news of her death
came as a great schock.
(it really was a schock)