Thứ Năm, 8 tháng 1, 2015

Different uses and meanings of "Like" / How to use it?

The word "like" has different uses and meanings. It can be a noun, verb, adverb, preposition, conjunction, and quotative. So, here is a clear explanation how to use it. 



As a noun

As a noun like has the following meanings:
  • A person, thing or group similar to the one mentioned. (e.g. She was a great woman; we won't see her like.)
  • The things that someone enjoys. (e.g. Swimming is one of my likes.)

As a verb

The verb like means:
"to find pleasant or attractive; enjoy."
It can be followed by an infinitive or a gerund:
  • I like dancing.
  • I like to be honest.
These two forms often have the same meaning, but sometimes there is a difference.
  • When we use like with an infinitive, it expresses habitual preference, something that the speaker does not necessarily like or enjoy but considers as useful, right or wise ( e.g. I like to see my doctor once a year.)
  • When like is used with the gerund form, the construction tends to mean that we are actually doing the action (e.g. I like listening to music.)

Would like

Would like is used  to make polite offers and requests.
  • Would you like some tea?
  • I'd like to see your report.

As a preposition

The word like may be used as a preposition; it can introduce a simile (a stylistic device comparing two dissimilar ideas) as well as non-simile comparisons.
  • He fights like a lion.
  • He swims like fast as a fish.
  • He has a car just like hers

As a conjunction

The word like may replace the subordinating conjunction as or as if. (Some people think it is 'incorrect'  but you will certainly hear it a lot.)
  • I feel like I am a star.
  • They look like they have been having fun.

Feel like

Feel like can be used in two different ways:
  • Informally, feel like means to have an inclination or desire for. (e.g. I felt like watching a movie)
  • feel like (oneself) means to sense oneself as being in one's normal state of health or spirits. (e.g. I just don't feel like myself today

As an adverbial

Colloquially, like may be used as an adverb in the construction:
be + like + to infinitive,
meaning "be likely to, be ready to, be on the verge of." here are some examples:
  • He was like to do it again
  • He was like to start all over again.

As a quotative

Like is sometimes used colloquially as a quotative (an expression, such as she said or he goes, that introduces reported speech) to introduce a quotation or impersonation.
  • He was like, "I'll be back in five minutes."
  • She was like, "go out!"
  • I was like [speaker rolls eyes].
  • The car was like, "vroom!"

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