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AS versus LIKE

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ROBINDESBOIS
June 14, 2010, 02:27 AM
When making a manner clause what the difference between the conjunctions as and like in grammatical terms?
e.g.: Nobody loves like me - Nobody loves you as I do.

Perikles
June 14, 2010, 02:34 AM
I would say both are correct, but as is more formal, and better because it avoids ambiguity.

Time flies like an arrow
Fruit flies like a banana

I think that as requires a verb to follow

Nobody loves you like me
Nobody loves you as I do :thinking:

ROBINDESBOIS
June 14, 2010, 02:35 AM
what are the other structures? if any?

What about she is acting like she really doesn´t like him.

Perikles
June 14, 2010, 02:47 AM
I've changed my mind - I see you ask about clauses. You can use like for a phrase: he laughed like a hyena, but as is the usual one for a clause.

Also, 'as if' and 'as though' introduce a clause of manner which involves comparison.
"I'll do the exercises as I've been taught."
"She cooks a turkey exactly as my mother did."
"He treats me as if I were a stranger."
"He looks as if he’s sick."
"He ran as though his life depended on it."

Now some people would use like in all the above, but I would not, especially the last two.

He looks like he's sick. :thinking::thinking: Some would say this, but it sounds terrible to me.

Edit: as does "What about she is acting like she really doesn´t like him." :yuck::yuck:

ROBINDESBOIS
June 14, 2010, 02:52 AM
Ok thanks, I found that example :yuck::yuck: somewhere. So basically the rule is that as is followed by a verb or a dependent clause. I guess.

Perikles
June 14, 2010, 02:55 AM
Ok thanks, I found that example :yuck::yuck: somewhere. So basically the rule is that as is followed by a verb or a dependent clause. I guess.It may be AmE usage, so I'm not saying it is actually wrong, merely that it sounds terrible to me. :whistling:

wafflestomp
June 14, 2010, 04:52 AM
It sounds perfectly normal to me as an AmE speaker.. infact it sounds better... using as for those last two sound very highbrow to me.

My way of saying those examples:

""I'll do the exercises like I've been taught." I would change to like here.
"She cooks a turkey exactly like my mother did." I would change it to like here also.
"He treats me like a stranger." Would reword entirely to what I put.
"He looks like he’s sick." This one definitely. The others not so much but this one sounds pretty bad to me. He looks like he's sick sounds 100x better to me.
"He ran like his life depended on it." Would change to like.

ROBINDESBOIS
June 14, 2010, 06:29 AM
that´s good to know it´s also correct . Thank you both

poli
June 14, 2010, 07:01 AM
Like is a preposition, and as is a conjunction. People often treat like,
as a conjunction in everyday speech however. I use it, but when I you wish to sound educated in a formal environment, or if you wish to write a formal document I avoid the use of like as a conjunction.

Awaken
June 29, 2010, 12:03 PM
Like is a preposition, and as is a conjunction. People often treat like,
as a conjunction in everyday speech however. I use it, but when I you wish to sound educated in a formal environment, or if you wish to write a formal document I avoid the use of like as a conjunction.

Great point Poli. "Like" is used incorrectly from a grammatical standpoint in everyday conversation in American English. As Wafflestomp pointed out, his sentences sound "normal" for American English. Americans really like the word "like."

Technically Incorrect (but very common in American speech): He looks like he needs a place to rest.
Correct: He looks as if he needs a place to rest.

In general, a noun follows a "like" while a noun & verb clause follow "as."

Good link for reading.
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/like-as.html

CrOtALiTo
June 29, 2010, 02:55 PM
Affirm the everyone said before in the post.

None's love me.
None's love you as I love you
Nobody love you as I do.

Acela.
I love you with the most great of my hard, and I tell you, you can believe in me, none's love you as I do.

I like more the last sentence -I do.

Elaina
June 29, 2010, 04:21 PM
Thanks for the link Awaken.....it is quite useful.

As a matter of fact the other day I was watching an "oldies" TV channel that was also showing "oldies" commercials. The commercial was an old cigarette commercial and the lady was singing....."winston tastes good like a cigarette should" then the announcer alluded to "bad grammar" and changed it to ... "winston tastes good as a cigarette should". Of course at the time I didn't think anything of it but now I do. So today, I learned something new.

¡Muchas gracias!