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Stenka25 Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Alike & identical
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There's a question I want to ask.
1. A: Who are these two guys in this picture?
B: They're my uncle Fred and his son George. They do look ________ , don't they?
(a) same
(b) like
(c) identical
(d) alike
They say the answer is (d), and that's OK with me.
But I don't see why (c) cannot be the answer either.
Maybe "alike" is better, but that doesn't make "identical" wrong.
Am I right?
There's a question I want to ask.
1. A: Who are these two guys in this picture?
B: They're my uncle Fred and his son George. They do look ________ , don't they?
(a) same
(b) like
(c) identical
(d) alike
They say the answer is (d), and that's OK with me.
But I don't see why (c) cannot be the answer either.
Maybe "alike" is better, but that doesn't make "identical" wrong.
Am I right?
Top answer
Alike is the best possible choice. When something/someone is alike, it means that they are very similar. It is unlikely that Fred and his son look "exactly" the same, which is what the word indentical indicates.
- Alike is the best possible choice.
- When something/someone is alike, it means that they are very similar.
- It is unlikely that Fred and his son look "exactly" the same, which is what the word indentical indicates.
- When referring to people's appearance, the word identical would only be appropriate when referring to identical twins, who do, in fact, look exactly alike.
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3 Answers
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Alike is the best possible choice. When something/someone is alike, it means that they are very similar. It is unlikely that Fred and his son look "exactly" the same, which is what the word indentical indicates. When referring to people's appearance, the word identical would only be appropriate when referring to identical twins, who do, in fact, look exactly alike.
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"Alike" is more like "similar." "Identical" has lots of techincal meanings, like identities in trig. "6+6" and "3X4" are truly identical - at least the results of those operations are.
Twins originating from the division of one blastula are called "identical twins." They have the same DNA. Those produced from two different eggs are called "fraternal twins," and they may not look
Twins originating from the division of one blastula are called "identical twins." They have the same DNA. Those produced from two different eggs are called "fraternal twins," and they may not look
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