How do you talk about two things in English? How do you talk about similar (almost the same) things? Do you know? There’s a very easy way to compare things in English. To do so, you can use the words like and as in English.

Like and as are prepositions or conjunctions. But they can also be used to compare things. If you want to know how these words work, keep reading!

Like

Like + noun = “similar to” or “in the same way”

Like is a preposition. It is followed by a noun or a pronoun. Using like is a great way to compare two similar things.

For example:

  • She looks like her mom.
  • The house looks like a castle.
  • He passed the exam, just like the other kids.

A very easy way to use like is to compare things. Like can be a little more informal than as.

As

As + noun = “in the role of”

As can often be replaced by “the way.” This is a great way to choose between like and as if you’re confused.

For example:

  • No one sings as my mom does. (No one sings the way my mom does.)
  • They don’t play as they used to. (They don’t play the way they used to.)

As can also be used to compare two things. When doing this, you need the structure “as adjective as.”

For example:

  • No one is as funny as my brother.
  • He’s not as tall as I am.
  • Run as fast as you can!
  • Is he as interesting as you say?

Finally, you can also use as to talk about a job or function of an object or person.

For example:

  • I work as a writer.
  • I tried to use a bottle as a hammer.

Here’s a little quiz for you to try:

  1. He used the book _____ a doorstop.
  2. The puppy looked just _______ its mother.
  3. The team isn’t _____ united ______ it used to be.
  4. He can’t cook ______ he did in college.
  5. The child sings _____ a bird.
  6. You look just ______ your photo!
  7. She works _____ a mechanic.
  8. They work _____ hard _____ they can.
  9. The cat looks _____ a lion.
  10. Can you write ______ he does?

Once you have mastered like and as, there are so many different things you can say! You can compare so many things. So why not get out there and start talking about similar things? Let us know how you do in the comments below!

Answers:

1. as  2. like   3. as, as   4. like   5. like   6. like   7. as   8. as, as   9. like   10. as

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Erin Duffin lives in Hamburg, is an English teacher, blogger, yoga instructor, and loves putting a good quiz at the end of a blog! They’re a great way to learn! 

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