"as" and "like"

Question

Hello,I'm a little bit confused about usage of those two prepositions. For instant; someone like yousolid as a rockAccording to my native language, which is Turkish, meanings of "like" and "as" look thoroughly same in this case... I really can't distinguish them. Can you please show me the differences? and If I say "solid like a rock" and "someone as you", how do the meanings change?Thanks,Servet.

Gigilian Nguyen · Accepted Answer

Hi Servet,
I'd love to have some examples for you:

I am the manager of this company. As the manager, I have to make many important decisions.
This is John, who is my assistant manager. Like the manager, he also has to make many important decisions.

I am the manager of the company, not John. But he is my assistant, so his work is similar to mine, and sometimes, it's the same.

Last year, this restaurant was used as a hotel. (So it really was a hotel at the time)
Last year, my relatives stayed at my home. My house was like a hotel. (And it wasn't really a hotel)

One more:

Mary's house is very big and beautiful. It's like a palace. (It looks like a palace, or it has a looking of a palace because it's very big and beautiful)
Buckingham is a palace in the UK. As a palace, it's very big and beautiful. (It's a palace, so it's very big and beautiful)

As I can see, as = in the position of / in the form of... like = similar to, typical of
In my opinion, you can say solid like a rock instead of solid as a rock. Anyway, solid as a rock implies it is literally the same solidity. If you say solid like a rock, then you will mean the thing is (very) solid, it is not necessary that the solidity must be completely the same as a rock's. Someone like you is fine, but I am not sure about someone as you. Could you please make some sentences with them?
For comparisons, we say:

She is not as good as you.
She is not good like you.

GN

Servet Portakal · Answer

Thanks Gigilian. Your answer explains all the differences very well. Specially last paragraph extirpated all the quenstions in my mind. I fully got it.

"someone as you" doesn't make sense anymore...

Thanks again.

Gigilian Nguyen · Answer

You are welcome. Somehow, someone as youis very strange to me as well.

Have a nice day,
GN

"as" and "like"

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions