Like vs. As – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the following formal email drafted by a manager to a business partner confirming the terms of their agreement. Choose the best option to complete the sentences.
1 ______ we discussed during yesterday’s meeting, the revised pricing strategy will take effect next Monday.
(a) Like
(b) As if
(c) As
(d) Similar to
2 I have attached the finalized blueprints for the project, exactly ______ requested by your engineering team.
(a) like
(b) as
(c) alike
(d) such as
3 To avoid any confusion, we expect the final software interface to look exactly ______ the prototype we approved last week.
(a) like
(b) as
(c) as if
(d) similar
4 Please ensure that all raw materials are sourced and processed strictly ______ specified in section 4 of the contract.
(a) like
(b) as though
(c) just like
(d) as
5 ______ shown in the attached quarterly report, our profit margins have already increased, proving this strategy works.
(a) Like
(b) As
(c) As if
(d) Which
6 We must adhere strictly to the delivery schedule, ______ any delay will incur severe financial penalties for both parties.
(a) like
(b) as
(c) as to
(d) alike
7 Your vendor is demanding an upfront payment, but that sounds ______ a direct breach of our initial verbal agreement.
(a) as
(b) as if
(c) like
(d) similar
8 ______ promised in the negotiations, we will send our senior technicians to oversee the installation process.
(a) Like
(b) As though
(c) As
(d) Alike
9 I am writing to officially confirm that you will act ______ the primary project manager, exactly ______ we agreed yesterday.
(a) like / as
(b) as / like
(c) like / like
(d) as / as
10 It seems ______ your legal team has not yet received the signed copy of the Non-Disclosure Agreement.
(a) like as
(b) as if
(c) as
(d) alike
11 ______ is standard practice in our industry, we require a 30% security deposit before beginning the mass production.
(a) Like
(b) As
(c) Which
(d) As if
12 We cannot simply change the payment terms overnight ______ the contract holds no legal weight!
(a) like
(b) as if
(c) as
(d) just as
13 We have restructured the new compensation package exactly ______ you suggested in your counter-proposal.
(a) like
(b) similar to
(c) as
(d) alike
14 Let us proceed with the corporate merger ______ planned, without making any further last-minute alterations.
(a) like
(b) as to
(c) as if
(d) as
15 The competitor’s new product looks suspiciously ______ ours, almost ______ they copied our patented design.
(a) as / like
(b) like / as if
(c) like / like
(d) as / as if
16 I would ______ to emphasize that, ______ stated in clause 7b, the warranty covers hardware defects only.
(a) like / like
(b) as / as
(c) like / as
(d) as / like
17 We will regard your reply to this email ______ formal written consent to proceed, ______ we discussed on the phone.
(a) like / like
(b) as / like
(c) like / as
(d) as / as
18 ______ anticipated, the recent supply chain disruptions have heavily impacted our delivery timelines for Q4
(a) Like
(b) As
(c) As if
(d) Such as
19 If your representatives continue to behave ______ the confidentiality clauses don’t matter, we will terminate the partnership immediately.
(a) like as
(b) as
(c) as if
(d) just as
20 The packaging looks exactly ______ the initial mock-up, which is fantastic; please manufacture it exactly ______ agreed.
(a) as / like
(b) like / as
(c) as / as if
(d) like / alike
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (c) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): In formal English, use As + Clause (As we discussed) to mean “according to” or “in the way that”.
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake: “Like we discussed” is heavily used in informal spoken English, but it is strictly considered grammatically incorrect in formal business writing). (b) As if (Meaning Trap: Means “hypothetically”). (d) Similar to (Structural Error).
2 (b) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As requested” is a reduced clause (short for “as it was requested”). It formally references a prior agreement.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: You cannot use ‘like’ with past participles in this manner). (c) alike (Structural Error). (d) such as (Used for giving examples).
3 (a) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): The verb look is a sensory verb. When comparing appearance to a noun (“the prototype”), you must use look like + Noun.
- Error Analysis: (b) as (Meaning Trap: “Look as” is grammatically invalid for visual comparison). (c) as if (Structural Error: Must be followed by a clause). (d) similar (Requires the preposition ‘to’).
4 (d) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As specified” is another standard reduced clause referencing contract terms (short for “as it is specified”).
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: Informal and incorrect in formal documents). (b) as though (Meaning Trap: Means “as if,” which makes the specification sound fake). (c) just like (Structural Error).
5 (b) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As shown in the report” translates to “According to what is shown.” This is the gold standard for referencing data in business English.
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake). (c) As if (Meaning Trap). (d) Which (Structural Error: “Which shown” is grammatically incorrect without a linking verb).
6 (b) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): Here, As functions as a conjunction meaning “because” or “since” (As any delay will incur…). It is highly formal and appropriate for contracts.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Meaning Trap: ‘Like’ cannot mean ‘because’). (c) as to (Structural Error). (d) alike (Structural Error).
7 (c) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sensory verb sound followed by a noun phrase (“a direct breach”) requires like.
- Error Analysis: (a) as (Structural Error: “Sound as” is incorrect). (b) as if (Structural Error: Requires a full Subject + Verb clause). (d) similar (Requires ‘to’).
8 (c) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As promised” formally references a prior commitment (reduced from “as it was promised”).
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake: ‘Like promised’ is colloquial and poor business English). (b) As though (Meaning Trap: Implies the promise wasn’t real). (d) Alike (Structural Error).
9 (d) as / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Act AS the manager” states the actual, factual role they will hold. “Exactly AS we agreed” introduces a clause meaning “in the way that.”
- Error Analysis: (a) like / as (Meaning Trap: “Act like the manager” means pretending to be the manager). (b) as / like (Common Mistake: ‘Like we agreed’ is too informal). (c) like / like (Structural Error).
10 (b) as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): It seems as if + Clause is used to describe a situation that appears to be true based on the evidence.
- Error Analysis: (c) as (Common Mistake: “Seems as” is incomplete). (a) like as (Structural Error: Non-existent phrase). (d) alike (Structural Error).
11 (b) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): This is a fixed, highly formal phrase: As is standard practice or As is often the case (meaning “which is the usual situation”).
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake: Students directly translate “similar to the practice”, but the idiom strictly requires ‘As’). (c) Which (Grammatical error without an antecedent). (d) As if (Structural Error).
12 (b) as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): As if introduces a hypothetical, unreal clause. The contract does hold legal weight, but they are acting hypothetically as though it doesn’t.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: Used heavily in slang, but formal English requires ‘as if’ before a clause here). (c) as (Meaning Trap: ‘As’ would mean the contract truly holds no weight). (d) just as (Structural Error).
13 (c) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): As + Clause (as you suggested) means “in the exact manner that.”
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: While acceptable in casual spoken English, formal business emails strictly require ‘as’ to introduce this clause). (b) similar to (Structural Error: Must be followed by a noun, not a clause). (d) alike (Structural Error).
14 (d) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As planned” is a standard reduced clause referencing the established protocol.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake). (b) as to (Meaning Error). (c) as if (Meaning Trap).
15 (b) like / as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Looks LIKE ours” uses ‘like’ to compare visual similarity to a pronoun. “Almost AS IF they copied” introduces a hypothetical clause.
- Error Analysis: (a) as / like (Structural Error). (c) like / like (Common Mistake: ‘Like they copied’ is informal). (d) as / as if (Meaning Trap: “Looks as” is incorrect).
16 (c) like / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “I would LIKE to emphasize” is the standard polite verb phrase. “AS stated in clause 7b” references the contract data correctly.
- Error Analysis: (a) like / like (Common Mistake: “Like stated” is wrong). (b) as / as (Structural Error: “I would as to emphasize” makes no sense). (d) as / like (Structural Error).
17 (d) as / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Regard this AS formal consent” uses ‘as’ to state the actual capacity/function. “AS we discussed” references the prior agreement.
- Error Analysis: (c) like / as (Meaning Trap: “Regard like” is a collocation error; you do not compare it, you classify it). (b) as / like (Common Mistake: ‘Like we discussed’ is too informal). (a) like / like (Structural Error).
18 (b) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As anticipated” (According to what was anticipated).
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake). (c) As if (Meaning Trap). (d) Such as (Used for examples).
19 (c) as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): Followed by a clause (“the clauses don’t matter”) to express a hypothetical, unprofessional manner of behaving.
- Error Analysis: (b) as (Meaning Trap: Implies the clauses genuinely do not matter). (a) like as (Structural Error). (d) just as (Structural Error).
20 (b) like / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Looks exactly LIKE the mock-up” compares visual similarity to a noun. “Manufacture it exactly AS agreed” references the prior business agreement using a reduced clause.
- Error Analysis: (a) as / like (Structural Error). (c) as / as if (Structural Error). (d) like / alike (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- AS for Referencing & Agreements:
- In formal business English, always use As + Clause (or reduced clauses with past participles) to mean “according to” or “in the way that”.
- Crucial Rule: Never write “Like we discussed” or “Like you requested” in a formal email or contract.
- Standard Formats: As we discussed, As agreed, As requested, As shown in the report, As stated in the contract, As planned.
- AS for Roles & Reality:
- Use As + Noun when stating the actual role, function, or capacity of something.
- Example: “I am acting as the manager.” (I officially have this role).
- Example: “We regard this as a breach of contract.” (We officially classify it this way).
- LIKE for Similarity & Appearance:
- Use Like + Noun/Pronoun to compare two things that are similar but not the same.
- Example: “This product looks like ours.” (It is not ours, but visually similar).
- Verbs of the senses (look, sound, feel) are almost always followed by like + noun.
- AS IF / AS THOUGH for Hypotheticals:
- Use these conjunctions before a Clause (Subject + Verb) to describe unreal or hypothetical situations, often to point out unprofessional behavior.
- Example: “They are acting as if the rules do not apply to them.”