Question

Updated on 7 Feb 2023

curd44

7 February

French (France)

English (US)

Question about English (US)

Hi!

I have a question. I know that we use "as + subject + verb", like: as I said/as he told you.. etc..
But will we use that if we talk about "the guy", or a name like "Alex"..

Will it be "As Alex said", or "Like Alex said"?
"as the guy said" or "like the guy said"

Thanks

Answers

San-nin_no_William

7 February

Featured answer

English (US)

More or less. "As" is the older, more commonly accepted way of expressing it, "like" is common nowadays, but is not as acceptable among certain groups.

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San-nin_no_William

7 February

English (US)

This is right.

You would use it like that.

Examples:
"Like Alex said, we should go left."

"As Gregory left the room, he muttered something we couldn't understand."

curd44

7 February

French (France)

Thanks for the reply.. tho, I always heard that it was "AS + SUBJECT + VERB", and that like cannot be followed by a verb

San-nin_no_William

7 February

English (US)

@curd44

I am a little confused. When I read your post, I get the sense that you believe that I have somehow broken the rule you were asking about. Am I misinterpreting something?

As+subject+verb is not wrong:

As Gregory(subject) left(verb),

But I am confused about "like."

"Like" may not be followed by a verb when it functions as a preposition,
Example:
"It looks like rain."

It can be followed by a verb when it is a noun,
Example:
"Put him and his like to work."

or it can even be a verb itself. It can be transitive,
Example:
"Would you like your change?"

or intransitive,
Example:
"Feel free to leave any time you like."

depending on the sentence, it can also be an adjective,
Example:
"The portrait is very much like your father."

A conjunction,
Example:
"My toe hurts like crazy."

An adverb,
Example:
"You'll try it, some day, like enough."

or an auxiliary verb.
Example:
"It was so loud I like to fell out of bed."

So there are times when it cannot be followed by a verb, and other times it can.

1 disagree

curd44

7 February

French (France)

@San-nin_no_William Thanks for that! I understood that. I just didn't understand why you said "Like Alex said", in your first message.

San-nin_no_William

7 February

English (US)

@curd44 I used "like" because "as" and "like" are interchangeable in that example sentence.

"As Alex said, we should go left."

"Like Alex said, we should go left."

curd44

7 February

French (France)

@San-nin_no_William Yeah, I heard someone who told that "as" was more "formal", but that when you talk to your friends, etc.. you can use "like". So basically, you can use both, but "as" is more correct in these sentences such a "As I told you, you should do it.. Like I told you, you should do it'. Is it correct?

San-nin_no_William

7 February

English (US)

More or less. "As" is the older, more commonly accepted way of expressing it, "like" is common nowadays, but is not as acceptable among certain groups.

curd44

7 February

French (France)

@San-nin_no_William Thanks a bunch for the help! It was what I wanted to know.

mirasola_vanessa

7 February

English (US)

@San-nin_no_William it was so loud I like to fell out of bed? Like enough ?

San-nin_no_William

7 February

English (US)

@mirasola_vanessa

so loud I like to fell out of bed
- Helen Eustis

...Like enough
-Mark twain

They are quotes from novelists. I did not come up with them, but I have seen "like" used those ways before.

"Like" used in those two ways sounds strange to me as well, but I thought I may as well mention all the ways I have seen it in print.

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Hi!

I have a question. I know that we use "as + subject + verb", like: as I said/as he told you.. etc..
But will we use that if we talk about "the guy", or a name like "Alex"..

Will it be "As Alex said", or "Like Alex said"?
"as the guy said" or "like the guy said"

Thanks

Hi!I have a question. I know that we use "as + subject + verb", like: as I said/as he told you.. etc..But will we use that if we talk about "the guy", or a name like "Alex".. Will it be "As Alex said", or "Like Alex said"? "as the guy said" or "like the guy said"Thanks See a translation

More or less. "As" is the older, more commonly accepted way of expressing it, "like" is common nowadays, but is not as acceptable among certain groups.

This is right.You would use it like that.Examples:"Like Alex said, we should go left.""As Gregory left the room, he muttered something we couldn't understand."

@curd44 I used "like" because "as" and "like" are interchangeable in that example sentence."As Alex said, we should go left.""Like Alex said, we should go left."

More or less. "As" is the older, more commonly accepted way of expressing it, "like" is common nowadays, but is not as acceptable among certain groups.

@San-nin_no_William it was so loud I like to fell out of bed? Like enough ?

Hi!

I have a question. I know that we use "as + subject + verb", like: as I said/as he told you.. etc..
But will we use that if we talk about "the guy", or a name like "Alex"..

Will it be "As Alex said", or "Like Alex said"?
"as the guy said" or "like the guy said"

Thanks

This is right.

You would use it like that.

Examples:
"Like Alex said, we should go left."

"As Gregory left the room, he muttered something we couldn't understand."

@curd44 I used "like" because "as" and "like" are interchangeable in that example sentence.

"As Alex said, we should go left."

"Like Alex said, we should go left."