Comparisons

Post date: Dec 18, 2014 10:08:33 AM

• Like is a preposition and means similar to. It is followed by nouns, pronouns and gerunds. In comparative sentences, it is gradable and can function in the same way as an adjective, e.g. He is more like his mother than his father.

• As is a conjunction and is followed by a verb phrase (or clause). In comparison, it can also be used before a prepositional phrase, e.g. as in 2007. As ... as expresses equality, e.g. She is as old as I am.

• Notice that in spoken |English, like is commonly used to give examples, e.g. I want to go somewhere hot, like Greece. It is also commonly used with verb phrases like as, e.g. Peter always listened to his patients, like a good doctor ought to do. Some grammarians would argue this is an inaccurate use. However, be aware that it is commonly accepted in spoken English.

• Such is always followed by a noun, e.g. We have such bad luck. Students often confuse its use with that of so, which is followed by an adjective, e.g. We're so unlucky.

• There are many modifiers, used before comparatives, superlatives, as ... as and the same (as). Students simply need to learn which ones collocate with which.