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Like vs. As 431 Views


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Transcript

00:03

Like versus As, a la Shmoop.

00:08

Ah, high school.

00:11

It's like you're in the Ninth Circle of Hell...

00:13

...or should you say, "It's as if you're in the Ninth Circle of Hell"?

00:19

If you don't want your English teacher to turn into the devil...

00:21

...you need to know how to use "like" and "as" correctly.

00:25

Here's the rule...

00:26

...use "like" when you need a preposition...

00:29

...and "as" when you need a conjunction.

00:35

A preposition creates a relationship between words...

00:38

...and isn't followed by a verb.

00:40

"Like" is an example of a preposition. "In", "around", and "through"

00:46

are also prepositions. A conjunction connects words, clauses, or phrases...

00:52

...and can be followed by very complicated phrases that include verbs.

00:56

"As" is an example of a conjunction. "And", "but", and "or" are also conjunctions.

01:02

You're probably desperately wishing for some examples. Your wish is granted.

01:07

You could say, "The bathroom smelled like uh... something bad"...

01:10

...or, "The bathroom smelled as if someone had uhhh..... we can't say that at Shmoop."

01:19

You could say, "That baby looks like my pug"...

01:22

...or, "It's as though that baby had pugs for parents."

01:27

You could say, "My cousin acts like a toddler"...

01:30

...or, "My cousin acts as I would expect a toddler to behave."

01:34

See how this works? The preposition "like" is followed by a word or two...

01:39

...and never by a verb.

01:40

The conjunction "as" can be followed by complicated phrases...

01:44

...that include verbs. And now that you know how to use "like"

01:47

and "as" correctly, maybe it won't be as if you were in the Ninth Circle of Hell.

01:52

Maybe high school will seem more like Limbo...

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