Like vs. As – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the strategic analyst’s presentation script comparing their company’s operational model with a major competitor carefully. Choose the best option to complete the sentences.
1 “Good morning. If you look at the data, our main competitor operates ______ a massive monopoly in this region, even though they technically are not.”
(a) as if
(b) like
(c) as
(d) alike
2 “Working ______ the lead analyst on this project, I have spent the last three months reviewing all their public financial statements.”
(a) like
(b) as being
(c) as
(d) to be as
3 “Their incredibly aggressive pricing strategy looks exactly ______ the one Amazon used to dominate the market ten years ago.”
(a) similar
(b) as
(c) as though
(d) like
4 “Instead of collaborating, they use their vast supply chain network ______ a weapon to crush smaller local businesses.”
(a) as
(b) like
(c) similar to
(d) as if
5 “However, they are not invincible. Much ______ our own company, they are currently struggling with unusually high employee turnover rates.”
(a) such as
(b) like
(c) as
(d) alike
6 “If we want to survive this price war, we must stop acting ______ a slow, outdated bureaucracy and become more agile.”
(a) as if
(b) like
(c) as
(d) similar
7 “______ is often the case in the tech industry, this competitor prioritizes rapid user growth over immediate profitability.”
(a) Like
(b) Which
(c) As if
(d) As
8 “They treat their customer data ______ a highly valuable corporate asset, guarding it with military-grade encryption.”
(a) like
(b) as though
(c) as
(d) alike
9 “To match their efficiency, we need to restructure our digital marketing department exactly ______ they did in the third quarter.”
(a) like
(b) as if
(c) as
(d) similar to
10 “During their recent earnings call, their CEO dismissed our new product launch ______ a desperate attempt to stay relevant.”
(a) as
(b) alike
(c) like
(d) as to
11 “Based on their recent hiring patterns, it seems ______ they are secretly planning to acquire our biggest hardware supplier.”
(a) like as
(b) similar
(c) as
(d) as if
12 “I strongly advise the board to regard their recent expansion into Europe ______ a direct threat to our global market share.”
(a) like
(b) as
(c) to be
(d) as though
13 “We have to admit that nobody in this sector scales their operations ______ efficiently ______ they do.”
(a) as / like
(b) as / as
(c) like / like
(d) so / like
14 “If you walk into their new flagship store, it feels ______ an exclusive VIP club rather than a traditional retail shop.”
(a) as
(b) just as
(c) like
(d) as if
15 “I am warning you ______ a strategic advisor: if we continue to run this division ______ a charity, we will go bankrupt within a year.”
(a) like / as
(b) as / as
(c) like / like
(d) as / like
16 “They managed to secure the government contract, exactly ______ we predicted in our annual risk forecast.”
(a) like
(b) as
(c) as if
(d) which
17 “When they launched their new software, their executives behaved ______ they had already eliminated all the competition.”
(a) as if
(b) just like
(c) as
(d) like as
18 “We must avoid serving ______ merely a stepping stone for their expansion, and start behaving ______ a hungry, aggressive startup.”
(a) like / as
(b) like / like
(c) as / like
(d) as / as
19 “______ anticipated by our team, their profit margins dropped slightly last month, which makes them look ______ a vulnerable target right now.”
(a) Like / as
(b) As / like
(c) As / as
(d) Like / like
20 “We cannot simply brush off their phenomenal success ______ a stroke of luck; we must analyze it ______ a blueprint for our own recovery.”
(a) as / as
(b) like / like
(c) like / as
(d) as / like
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (b) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): Like + Noun is used to express similarity. The company is not actually a monopoly (“even though they technically are not”), but they operate similarly to one.
- Error Analysis: (c) as (Meaning Trap: “Operates as a monopoly” would mean they legally and factually are a monopoly). (a) as if (Structural Error: Must be followed by a clause). (d) alike (Structural Error).
2 (c) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): As + Job title/Role denotes someone’s actual status or position. The speaker genuinely holds the position of the lead analyst.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Meaning Trap: Implies the speaker is pretending or acting similarly to the lead analyst, but holds a different title). (b) as being (Structural Error). (d) to be as (Structural Error).
3 (d) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sensory verb look requires like when followed by a noun/pronoun (“the one”) to express visual or perceived resemblance (look like + Noun).
- Error Analysis: (b) as (Meaning Trap: “Look as” is grammatically invalid for stating resemblance). (c) as though (Structural Error: Requires a subject and verb clause). (a) similar (Structural Error: Requires ‘to’).
4 (a) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): The collocation use something AS something assigns an actual function or role to an object/concept. They are literally utilizing the supply chain in the capacity of a weapon.
- Error Analysis: (b) like (Common Mistake: While informally understood, ‘use as’ is the standard fixed collocation in business English). (c) similar to (Structural Error). (d) as if (Structural Error).
5 (b) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): Like + Noun is used as a preposition to show similarity (“Similar to our own company”).
- Error Analysis: (c) as (Common Mistake: ‘As’ cannot be used as a preposition of similarity before a noun phrase). (a) such as (Structural Error: Used for listing examples, not direct comparison). (d) alike (Structural Error).
6 (b) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): Act like + Noun means to behave in a way that is similar to something else. The company is not literally a bureaucracy, but they are behaving similarly to one.
- Error Analysis: (c) as (Meaning Trap: “Act as a bureaucracy” implies serving the official function of one). (a) as if (Structural Error: Requires a clause). (d) similar (Structural Error).
7 (d) As
- Why it is correct (The Key): This is a fixed, highly formal phrase: As is often the case (meaning “which is a common situation”).
- Error Analysis: (a) Like (Common Mistake: A direct, incorrect translation of “similar to the case”). (b) Which (Structural Error: Grammatically incorrect at the beginning of this sentence structure). (c) As if (Structural Error).
8 (c) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): The collocation treat something AS something means to interact with or classify an item in a specific factual capacity (they classify data as an asset).
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: While acceptable in casual speech, ‘treat as an asset’ is the definitive corporate collocation). (b) as though (Structural Error). (d) alike (Structural Error).
9 (c) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): As + Clause (Subject + Verb: “they did”) means “in the exact manner that.”
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: Highly informal. In formal business presentations, ‘as’ is the correct conjunction before a clause). (b) as if (Meaning Trap: Means “hypothetically”). (d) similar to (Structural Error).
10 (a) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): The collocation dismiss something AS something means to officially reject or categorize an idea in the capacity of that thing.
- Error Analysis: (c) like (Common Mistake: Wrong preposition for this fixed phrase). (b) alike (Structural Error). (d) as to (Structural Error).
11 (d) as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): It seems as if + Clause is used to describe a hypothetical situation that appears to be true based on evidence.
- Error Analysis: (c) as (Common Mistake: “Seems as” is incomplete). (a) like as (Structural Error). (b) similar (Structural Error).
12 (b) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): The collocation regard something AS something means to view or classify something in a certain way.
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Meaning Trap: You do not “regard like”; you classify it). (c) to be (Wrong collocation). (d) as though (Structural Error).
13 (b) as / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): The standard structure for equal comparison of adverbs is as + adverb + as (scales as efficiently as).
- Error Analysis: (c) like / like (Common Mistake: Translating word-for-word from native languages). (a) as / like (Structural Error). (d) so / like (Structural Error).
14 (c) like
- Why it is correct (The Key): The sensory verb feel requires like when followed by a noun to express a perceived similarity (feel like + Noun). It is a store, not actually an exclusive club.
- Error Analysis: (a) as (Meaning Trap: “Feels as” is grammatically incorrect). (d) as if (Structural Error: Requires a full clause). (b) just as (Structural Error).
15 (d) as / like
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Warning you AS a strategic advisor” states the speaker’s true, actual role. “Run this division LIKE a charity” is a comparison (the division is a business, not an actual charity, but they are treating it similarly).
- Error Analysis: (a) like / as (Meaning Trap: Reverses reality and comparison). (b) as / as (Meaning Trap: They are not officially running a charity). (c) like / like (Common Mistake).
16 (b) as
- Why it is correct (The Key): “As we predicted” is a clause meaning “according to” or “in the way that.”
- Error Analysis: (a) like (Common Mistake: “Like we predicted” is considered poor business English and is strictly informal). (c) as if (Meaning Trap: Implies the prediction wasn’t real). (d) which (Structural Error).
17 (a) as if
- Why it is correct (The Key): Followed by a clause with a past perfect verb (“had already eliminated”) to indicate a hypothetical, arrogant manner of behaving.
- Error Analysis: (b) just like (Structural Error: Usually followed by a noun or gerund). (c) as (Common Mistake). (d) like as (Structural Error).
18 (c) as / like
- Why it is correct (The Key): “Serving AS a stepping stone” refers to the actual functional role the company might accidentally play. “Behaving LIKE a hungry startup” is a simile; they are an established company, so they must act similarly to a startup.
- Error Analysis: (a) like / as (Meaning Trap: Reverses the meaning). (d) as / as (Meaning Trap: They cannot literally be a startup again). (b) like / like (Common Mistake).
19 (b) As / like
- Why it is correct (The Key): “AS anticipated” is a standard reduced clause referencing prior data. “Look LIKE a vulnerable target” uses ‘like’ after a sensory verb before a noun phrase.
- Error Analysis: (a) Like / as (Structural Error). (c) As / as (Meaning Trap: “Look as” is invalid). (d) Like / like (Common Mistake: ‘Like anticipated’ is highly informal).
20 (a) as / as
- Why it is correct (The Key): Brush off AS and Analyze AS both utilize ‘as’ to categorize or classify the information in a specific capacity or role. Parallel structure is required.
- Error Analysis: (b) like / like (Common Mistake: Wrong preposition for these classification verbs). (c) like / as (Structural Error). (d) as / like (Structural Error).
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
- LIKE for Similarity & Competitor Analysis:
- Use Like + Noun/Pronoun to compare your company to a competitor, or to point out operational similarities. It highlights that two things behave similarly but are fundamentally different.
- Example: “They operate like a monopoly.” (They are not legally a monopoly, but their behavior mirrors one).
- Sensory Verbs: Always use look like, sound like, feel like before a noun.
- AS for Reality, Roles, and Classification:
- Use As + Noun to state a person’s actual job, or the true function of an object.
- Example: “Speaking as an analyst…” (I truly am an analyst).
- Business Collocations: In professional contexts, use as with verbs of classification: use as, treat as, regard as, dismiss as, serve as.
- AS for Referencing Data & Forecasts:
- 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 predicted” in a formal presentation. Use As we predicted, As shown in the data, As anticipated.
- AS IF / AS THOUGH for Hypothetical Behavior:
- These conjunctions must be followed by a Clause (Subject + Verb). They are excellent tools for analyzing competitor arrogance or hypothetical scenarios.
- Example: “They are spending money as if they had no competitors.”