You may not be old enough to remember the television commercial in the headline of this post. However, it is commonly used as an example of incorrect grammar: the difference between the use of like and as.
And it is a very common error. Like is often used when as, as if, or as though should be used instead.
In fact, recently I edited a couple of novels, where I couldn’t decide whether or not to change like to make it correct. If the grammatical mistake was in dialogue, I figured that the character would probably say it that way, so I didn’t correct it. You can get away with a lot in dialogue! If it was in the narration, I still pondered over whether or not to change it. After all, we must consider the narrator ‘s grammar as well.
Well, enough of this….what is the rule, anyway?
Like is used for simple comparisons. It is generally followed by just a noun.
As, as if, and as though are used when they are followed by a clause—a group of words contining a subject and a verb. Compare these two correct examples:
- She acted like a queen.
- She acted as if she were a queen.
The first example is a simple comparison between she and queen.
In the second example, there is a clause after the as if. She is the subject and were is the verb.
Now look at the slogan in the headline:
“Winston tastes good like a cigarette should.”
(The verb taste is actually implied, but not there, after should: Winston tastes good like a cigarette should taste.)
These, therefore, are both correct grammar:
- Winston tastes like a cigarette. (meaning that Winstons taste like cigarettes–a simple comparison)
- Winston tastes good, as a cigarette should (taste).
Here are some examples of like and as used correctly:
- She talks like a New Yorker.
- She talks as if she is from New York.
- Mabel acts like the boss.
- Mabel acts as if she is the boss.
- It looks like rain.
- It looks as if it will rain.
So, to sum up….
Use like if what follows is just a noun, or a noun modified by an adjective.
Use as (or as if or as though) if what follows is a clause with a subject and a verb.
Please check out my interview with Marcy Smothers and Susan McCullough on Gil Mansergh’s radio show Word by Word on public radio.
I recently found an old Mad magazine from 1/58 which had the back full page advertisement for Winston cigarettes.
It has a Christmas ad for Winston (Winston tastes good like a cigarette should) but the spelling on the cigarette pack is clearly spelled “Winsten” I googled it for more information but there isn’t any mention of a misspelled advertisement.
I’m wondering if anyone has any further information on this ?
Not I
Interesting and informative.
However I can’t agree with you as to the use of ‘like.’ “Say it like you mean it.” I know you could change it to “as if” but hasn’t that movie expression become perfectly acceptable now?
We mustn’t forget that English was firstly spoken then written, much the contrary with the French language. And though I am the first to applaud keeping clear standards, I don’t really want us to end up having double standards like the French do.
Their ‘language board’ determines what is technically acceptable and yet the ‘entire’ populace determines what is spoken.
Take our irregular verbs, for example, we are simplifying many of them by making them regular (all through years of ‘wrong’ usage) but is that in itself all bad. My French students don’t think so.
Thanks for your comment. “Say it like you mean it” seems colloquial to me….fine to say, but don’t write it in a job application. We do have formal and informal language in English to a point. However, to take something that people continually say incorrectly and make it the norm because people can’t get it right, just doesn’t sit well with me. I don’t think “Me and him went to the show” should become correct because people say it incorrectly. Have some respect for the language, which comes from other ancient languages, in this case, cases, which I guess all languages have.
…a clause—a group of words contining a subject and a verb.
I’m sure you meant “containing.” But we’re talking about grammar here and not speling [sic].
Just call me the Typo Diva! Sorry!
great publish, very informative. I wonder why the opposite explerts of
this sector don’t realize this. You must continue your writing.
I’m confident, yyou have a huge readers’ base already!
You are very kind, Trevor! The reader base is increasing, but it has a long way to go!
Hi guys – your comments blow the mind. Since I have lived outside of my country of birth (U.K.) for over 50 years, I get culture shock each time I go to London. Language is definitely in flux and changes every time I hear it. Unfortunately, the people who speak correctly seem to be very few and far between. However, it is always a pleasure to hear the language spoken correctly, and the same goes for Hebrew, too (I live in Israel).
Keep the comments going – they definitely come in useful when I teach.
Thank you for the comments! We will continue to fight the good fight!
I’m trying to comprehend “like” as a conjunction and a preposition, so far unsuccessfully. Will you provide more examples of each?
The phrase “dumbing down” is perfect; I was trying to think of it and couldn’t.
Finally, I am not ready to acquiesce to using “they” as a singular.
Prepositions introduce phrases which usually contain an article and a noun. They can also contain adjectives with the noun and perhaps no article. Here are prepositional phrases:
It was sweet like candy.
She acted like a clown.
This room looks like a mess.
The cloud looks like a dog.
Correlative conjunctions introduce adverbial clauses – clauses are different from phrases because they have a subject and a verb. Correlative conjunctions include words such as although, until, whenever, because, as, as if, as though.
As I walked around the mall, I became very tired.
She acted as if she were a queen.
I am hungry, although I ate an hour ago.
Just saw this–thank you. I wish your replies came to our e-mails.
Re correlative conjunctions: Except for the queen example, we’re no longer talking about “as” v. “I,” right?
How do you analyze the following: If you’re like me/I? I know the answer is “I” (understood: “I am”). However, here “like” is followed by a clause, which means we should be using one of the “as” phrases. But that doesn’t work. Help!
I wish the replies came to your e-mails too….don’t know how it is all set up, though.
Hmmmm. If you are like me. How about that? Now like is a proper preposition. It is a simple comparision. Compare with “If you sing as I do.”
I was a teenager when the slogan was introduced, and I smoked Winston cigarettes for many years. However, I think it was Winston tastes, not Winstons taste.
The Grammar Diva uses “Winston tastes” throughout. The one place where she wrote “Winstons taste” was within an example in which she used “Winstons” generically.
I fixed it! The blog is a moving target!
I don’t see a “fix,” at least one to what I thought Daphne was referring. And all the other “Winstons taste” references still seem correct to me.
Anyway, good, clear, and helpful blog!
Explained like a true English teacher! 🙂
I’m sorry to say, that I’m old enough to recall the Winston sales campaign when it was first introduced — to the absolute scorn of the grammar police across the United States.
However, this usage does illustrate a fact that English is a “living” language that is subject to change in syntax and usage over time. There are countless words that have entered the language (just see the “new words” lists issued by dictionary publishers each year) and there are subtle (and not so subtle) changes in usage over time.
Now, the question becomes: Should a grammarian object to a usage that has been in use by speakers for over 50 years and that has broad acceptance (or, at least, acquiescence) in the publishing world, where the mis-use occurs in print quite regularly.
Indeed, it can be argued that the Winston ad simply repeated a common error that had been used in casual speech for many years before it appeared in their advertising campaign. Obviously, WInston would not have used “like” if a substantial portion of the public would be annoyed by that usage!
So, what does it take for a “wrong” usage that becomes the common, expected expression to become fully accepted?
Note: I’m not trying to be difficult here — but there are many cases where “hard grammar rules” have evolved into something new over time.
I further note that the French language has the Académie Française to be the specific arbiter of “approved” French language. (That frankly has been fighting a loosing battle as the speakers of the language have added many new words (to French speech) that the Académie has specifically rejected.)
English does not have an equivalent organization (so much the better for our language) — with various dictionaries becoming the ultimate arbiters — with some dictionaries being very liberal, while others are quite reserved. See http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/like for the Meriam-Webster take on “like.” (The Collegiate edition does not directly discuss the Winston usage.)
In the M-W Unabridged, I do find this interesting example:
7. like (conjunction)
3 : as if : as though
— used especially with intransitive verbs of the senses
This definition also states that Synonyms are: as, as though, as if.
Webster’s Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, s.v. “like,” accessed September 13, 2013, http://unabridged.merriam-webster.com.
So, at least according to Merriam-Webster, the Winston commercial is no longer considered an aberrant usage.
I consider the Merriam-Webster Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged as the standard for American usage of the English language. Admittedly, there can be big debates over what dictionary is the most authoritative.
Pete – So good to hear from you. Your comments are always spot on….I have acquiesced to the singular “they,” but this one may be too much for me!
I think changing some “hard grammar rules” is an example of lowering our English “standards.” Lowering our standards seems prevalent in too many areas of life these days. Being a “living” language does not mean (to me) that English should acquiesce to “peer pressure.”
With regard to the M-W Unabridged defining “like” as a conjunction, I was surprised to see it identified as a preposition in one of the sources I frequent when looking for grammar guidance, “Guide to Grammar and Writing.” This reference states: “Strictly speaking, the word ‘like’ is a preposition, not a conjunction. It can, therefore, be used to introduce a prepositional phrase ‘(“My brother is tall like my father.”) . . .’ However, “Guide” agrees with Grammar Diva’s statement that “like” should not be used to introduce a clause.
I totally agree! The English is a “living language” seems just to imply that people just don’t care about being able to speak correctly. There is no reason to change the rules just because people can’t learn them….dumbing down is too prevalent in our society. The only “rule” I can see being relaxed is the one using they as a singular….but only because the English language has no word for it in the singular that isn’t gender specific. He is she is unwieldy. However, I will just rewrite because I am not using the singular they.
Like is a preposition and thus introduces a phrase. I don’t know it as a correlative conjunction (as, as if, and as though are) that introduces a clause.