Like or As | Difference & Examples
Deciding if like or as is the right word can be tricky because you can use both words to compare things (e.g., “I have a teapot like that” vs. “I have a teapot with the same pattern as that”).
Use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure you’re using “like” and “as” correctly in your writing.
| Like or as in a sentence | Grammar of like or as |
|---|---|
| I’m going to get a phone like that/yours/the one in the film we saw yesterday. | Preposition: Like + pronoun/noun/noun phrase—“as” would be incorrect in this sentence. |
| My phone’s the same as that/yours/the one in the film we saw yesterday. | Part of the comparative phrase “the same as”—“like” would be incorrect in this sentence. |
| My phone has the same case as that/yours/the one in the film we saw yesterday. | Part of the comparative phrase “the same [noun] as”—“like” would be incorrect in this sentence. |
| My phone isn’t as good as yours. | Part of the comparative phrase “as [adjective/adverb] as”—“like” would be incorrect in this sentence. |
| Like/as I said, I’m going to get a new phone. | Conjunction: Like/as + dependent clause—“like” and “as” are both possible. |
Like vs as
You use like, not as, before a pronoun, noun, or noun phrase to compare things that have similar characteristics. Here, “like” is a preposition and means “similar to.”
- This insect looks like a wasp, but it’s actually a fly.
- This insect looks as a wasp, but it’s actually a fly.
- He really looks very like his father.
- He really looks very as his father.
- My new rucksack’s like my old one but a bit bigger.
- My new rucksack’s as my old one but a bit bigger.
- Is your new rucksack waterproof like your old one?
- Is your new rucksack waterproof as your old one?
- My new rucksack’s big enough to fit all my school things in, not like my old one.
- My new rucksack’s big enough to fit all my school things in, not as my old one.
But you can also use the phrase the same [noun] as (not “the same …. like”) to compare things that have similar characteristics.
- This fly has the same coloring as a wasp.
- This fly has the same coloring like a wasp.
- They always wear the same clothes as each other.
- They always wear the same clothes like each other.
- This rucksack is the same design as this one, but it’s a bit bigger.
- This rucksack is the same design like this one, but it’s a bit bigger.
- He looks like your brother.
- He looks as your brother.
- It tasted like mint.
- It tasted as mint.
- This soap smells like bubblegum.
- This soap smells as bubblegum.
- It sounded like an excuse to me.
- It sounded as an excuse to me.
Like and as: Conjunctions
You can use both like and as as conjunctions to express similarity. Here, “like” and “as” mean “the way” and introduce a dependent clause (not a noun or pronoun). “As” is typically the better choice in formal contexts such as essays (e.g., “As I have already argued, …”), and “like” is very common in everyday conversation (e.g., “Get a robovac like I did”).
- You’re behaving like/as a child would.
- He always avoids the sun, like/as I used to do.
- He doesn’t sing it like/as David Bowie sang it.
- I used the app like/as you said, but it still didn’t work.
- As/like I was just saying to Solange, we’ve found a new apartment.
- I left everything exactly as/like it was when I found it.
As … as
You can also use as … as to express similarity—or difference in negative constructions—such as in these sentences, where “as … like” would be incorrect:
- He hates hot weather as much as you do.
- I can cook just as well as you can.
- Robovacs just don’t clean as well as normal ones.
- The sequel isn’t as good as the first movie.
- It’s not as fast as Bowie plays it.
The same as
And you can use the same … as and the same as to describe similarity, such as in these sentences, where using “like” instead” of “as” would be incorrect:
- The sequel basically has the same story as the first movie.
- The squeal starts in the same way as the first move.
- He’s the same as you; he hates hot weather.
- Those two songs are virtually the same as each other.
Like and as if
You can use like as a conjunction instead of as if or as though. However, “like” has a more informal effect than “as if” or “as though.”
Stretch your arms like/as if/as though you’re trying to touch the sky.
It was like/as if/as though I’d never been away.
She leaned forward like/as if/as though she were about to say something.
Preposition as
You use the preposition as, not like, to mean “in the role of” to indicate someone’s job, role, or function.
As his friend, I thought I had to tell him.
Like and such as
You can use both like and such as to mean “for example.” “Such as” has a more formal effect, so it’s often the better choice for formal contexts (e.g., academic writing).
What about some jewelry? Like/such as a ring or necklace.
Frequently asked questions about when to use like or as
- What part of speech is as?
-
The part of speech of as is a preposition when it indicates someone’s job or role (e.g., “He worked as a bartender before he was famous”).
“As” is a conjunction when it means “at the same time” (e.g., “She told me as I was leaving”) and “the way” (e.g., “I did it exactly as it said in the instructions”).
It’s difficult to know whether to choose like or as in some contexts—“as,” not “like,” is the correct word in the phrase “the same X as” (e.g., “You have the same birthday as me”).
You can ask QuillBot’s free AI Chat to help you identify the part of speech of “as” in different sentences.
- What part of speech is like?
-
The part of speech of like is a preposition when it’s used to indicate similarity before a pronoun, noun, or noun phrase (e.g., “I want sneakers like that/hers”).
“Like” is a conjunction when it means “the way” (e.g., “Make sure you do it exactly like I told you”). You can use like or as with this grammatical function—“like” is more informal.
If you need to identify the part of speech of “like” in a specific sentence, why not ask QuillBot’s free AI Chat to help you?
