Use of like for Introducing Examples

Question

Hi,

In GmatClub I recently came across a sentence where 'like' is used to introduce example in non-underlined portion on the sentence.

The question is supposedly from OG'17. Is there a change from GMAC on the rule that 'like' can't be used to introduce examples ?

Experts please help

ankujgupta · Answer

Could any expert please reply

EducationAisle · Answer

Hi Ankuj, of particular relevance would be the following explanation of #65 in Verbal Review 2nd Edition:

While there has been some disputes over the use of  like  to mean  for example  this is an  acceptable  use.

Our book  Sentence Correction Nirvana  specifically notes this:

GMAT considers  like  as a  valid  usage, when the intent is to provide  examples .

p.s. If someone is interested, PM me your email-id; I can mail the corresponding section of our book    EducationAisle Sentence Correction Nirvana

GMATNinja · Answer

Nobody is going to like this answer (myself included!), but it isn't unusual for "errors" of some sort to appear in the non-underlined portion of official GMAT questions. Here's the important thing to keep in mind -- always -- as you do GMAT SC: you're always looking for the "most effective answer," as stated in the SC instructions in the OGs.

That doesn't mean that you're looking for a "perfect" or even a "good" answer -- just the best of a potentially crappy bunch.

What does this mean in practice? Well, you're basically free to ignore anything that doesn't actually help you distinguish between the five answer choices. I like to tell my students to find the four  worst  answers; by default, the fifth answer will be the winner, even if it isn't a wonderful sentence.

So if the same "error" is repeated in all five answer choices, then don't worry about it.

But what about the use of "like" to introduce examples? I think the GMAT is inconsistent on this issue. As EducationAisle points out, the explanation to question #65 in the second edition of the verbal guide (same as #267 in the 2017 edition) does say that it's acceptable to use "like" to introduce examples. Interestingly, the explanation to #28 in OG 12 says the opposite: " Like  is the wrong word to introduce examples."

So yes, that's a little bit maddening. In plenty of official SC questions, "such as" seems to be clearly preferred over "like" to introduce examples; given the choice between the two, I would stick with "such as," unless there's another issue that seems to trump it.

I hope this helps!

VerbalBot · Answer

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Use of like for Introducing Examples

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