As Vs Like: Correct and Incorrect usages

Hi there,

As with that of humans, the DNA of grape plants contains sites where unique sequences of nucleotides are repeated over and over.

This sentence only corrects the number error by changing "those" in the origibnal sentence to "that" in your example. We still don't know what the function of "with" is. So this sentence is incoorect.

As in the case of human DNA, the DNA of grape plants contains sites where unique sequences of nucleotides are repeated over and over. This sentence is again incorrect because the comparison is not clear here. The preopsitional phrase after "as" fails to establish the comparison.

The correct sentence would be:
As it is with human DNA, the DNA of grape plants contains sites where unique sequences of nucleotides are repeated over and over.

Thanks.
Shraddha.

Hi Himanshu,

Analyze these two sentences:

1. Like honeybees, hummingbirds collect nectar from flowers.
2. As honeybees do, hummingbirds collect nectar from flowers.

Both the sentences are correct as the usages of "like" and "as" are correct in sentences 1. and 2. respectively. However, there is a very slight change in the meaning of both the sentences.

Sentence 1. just compares the two creatures. Honeybees and hummimhgbirds, both collect nectar from flowers.

Sentence 2. compares the way in which these two creatures collect nectar. The difference in meaning is very slight though.

Thanks.
Shraddha.

Thanks Shraddha for your inputs.

I have seen some questions where instead of nouns, clauses gets compared. Could you please present an example here, where two clauses gets compared rather than nouns. I would like to gauge your though process on those type of comparisons.

Thanks
H

Hi

Could you please explain what pronoun IT is referring to in the above written sentence ??

Thanks
H

Hi Himanshu,

Whenever we read about the usage of “like vs. as”, we always read that “like” is used to compare “nouns” while “as” is used to compare clauses. So your confusion is pretty valid. But if you have read our article carefully, you must have noticed that we do not even for once say that. The thing really is “like” can also compare actions but it is ALWAYS followed by a noun, whereas in comparison senetnces “as” is ALWAYS followed by a clause. For example:

1. The baby smiles like her mother.
2. The baby smiles as her mother does.

If you study sentence 1 carefully, you will see that we are comparing baby to her mother because a particular actions performed by the baby is similar to the same action performed by her mother. So actually we are comparing actions in the first sentence. It is the way they both smile that makes the basis of comparison.
However, the only difference is that when we show that comparison by using “like”, we use a noun – “her mother” – after “like”. On the other hand, when present the same comparison, using “as”, we place a clause – “her mother does” – after “as”.
The usage of “like” and what it actually compares have been covered in great details in our free concept “Usage of Like”.
Click on the green START FREE TRIAL icon below to register for free for more examples, detailed analysis and quiz.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Let us know if you have more questions regarding this concept. We are soon adding a few more examples.

Excellent article Payal/Shardhha.
Kudos..and Shardhha: I remember your message,so no mistake this time..hope you got it.

I got it right but I'm 5.5 months late to get the award....at that time I didn't even join the Club

BTW,as you've mentioned you'll come up with more 700+ qs...so can't wait to face those.
Start firing the bullets guys....

Hey Shradhha/Rajat,
Pretty long time guys since I last got 700+ questions on this topic from you...

It would be great if you share some challenging GMAT like 700+ questions guys on 'As Vs Like' !

Hi Shradha,
Can you help me with following question,
According to a recent poll, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults, like that of earlier generations.

(A) like that of earlier generations
(B) as that for earlier generations
(C) just as earlier generations did
(D) as have earlier generations
(E) as it was of earlier generations
Why A is not the answer? t does compare goals of two generation, which are both nouns

Let me help you in this.(till shraddha replies )
you are perfectly right in saying:THAT OF ===>this is refering to goal....but comparison is not correct.
let me show you how
if you just remove the part ACCORDING TO RECENT POLL......and put the LIKE THAT OF EARLIER GENERATIONS aheadof sentence...Senntence becomes:

LIKE THAT OF EARLIER GENERATION,owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults==>now you can see how this comparison is wrong.....we are comparing GOAL with OWNING AND LIVING......==>So thats why it is wrong.

now in the correct option OPTION E:as it was of earlier generations ==>PUT THIS THING AHEAD OF SENTENCE TO SEE CLEAR COMPARISON.

AS IT WAS OF EARLIER GENERATION, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults

in this IT IS REFERING TO==>OWNING AND LIVING ........so correct comparison

now you must be thinking that owning and living must be plural..because we are connecting with AND....but this also has few exception ..such as in this question.

hope it helps..

hi,

try this...i found this one good

like-a-protein-rich-diet-that-the-healthy-genes-need-to-prod-155864.html#p1245833

Hi Tavish,
According to a recent poll, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults, like that of earlier generations.

In this question, we need to pay attention to the structure of the sentence to actually understand the two entities that have been compared in the sentence.

So let’s start with a few simple sentences:
• Like Jane, Julia loves ice cream.
• Julia loves ice cream, like Jane.

In the above two, it is very clear that Julia has been compared to Jane. But also pay attention to the structure of the sentence. In the first sentence, “Like + noun” is followed by a comma. When we have a construction like this, then the noun following “like” is compared to the subject of the following clause.
In the second sentence, “like + noun” appears at the end of the clause preceded by a comma. In a construction like this also, the noun following “like” is compared to the subject of the preceding clause.

Now let’s analyze the structure of the official sentence. Here, “like + that of earlier generations” appears after the main clause preceded by a comma. This means “that of earlier generations” must be compared to the subject of the preceding clause.

Now the subject of the preceding clause is “owning and living in a freestanding house…”. In fact, “that” in “that of earlier generations” actually stands for this noun. Is this a logical comparison? Certainly not. This is the reason why choice A is incorrect.

So with this knowledge, analyze the rest of the sentence and find out the correct answer. You can post your analysis here.

Hope this helps.
Thanks.
Shraddha

Shraddha -
OA should be E..Correct me please, if I'm wrong!

Hi there,

Bingo. E it is. It would be nice to see some analysis also as to how you arrived at this.

Looking forward to your analysis.
Shraddha

Awesome post.

As can also be used when referring to a position
eg : he works there as a janitor (position of a janitor)
he works there like a janitor (the way a janitor does)

both are correct.

I am struggling to use your concept on the below question. Request your help.

In its most recent approach, the comet Crommelin passed the Earth at about the same distance and in about the same position, some 25 degrees above the horizon, that Halley’s comet will pass the next time it appears.

(A) that Halley’s comet will pass
(B) that Halley’s comet is to be passing
(C) as Halley’s comet
(D) as will Halley’s comet
(E) as Halley’s comet will do

I absolutely love all EGMAT posts on Sentence Correction. They give so much insight into the problems and intricacies. I love the fact that Official problems are used. But I just have one suggestion - I really would appreciate if only OG problems are utilized for giving examples. Because of the fact that if we already encounter a GMATPrep problem in EGMAT's posts, then the GMATPrep score might get bumped up And examples are obviously very important to go through. I would appreciate if EGMAT considers this.

Thanks!