Like vs. As; Who vs. Whom; Do/So

[JonathanSchneider]

1: "Like" means "similar to" and can only be used to compare nouns. We use "as" to compare clauses. We use "such as" to introduce examples.

2: We attach the "do" (or "did," "have," etc.) whenever we need to to make the comparison clear. Sometimes we need the helper verb because there has been a long interrupting modifier; sometimes we need it to make it clear that exactly what the parallelism is.

3: "Who" is a subject case pronoun. "Whom" is an object case pronoun. The easiest way to tell the difference is to insert the words "he" and "him," as these are also subject and object pronouns, respectively. Whichever makes more sense will be the right case; then just choose "who" or "whom" to match.

[anusuthakaran]

I have a doubt here.

Shouldn't the sentence be 'I like going to the movies just AS my friends [do]' instead of 'I like going to the movies just LIKE my friends [do]'

[sinhavis]

Like is a preposition and can only be followed by noun or noun phrase. As is a conjunction and can be followed by anything. When you put like just check that you are comparing nouns otherwise use as

[esledge]

I have a doubt here.

Shouldn't the sentence be 'I like going to the movies just AS my friends [do]' instead of 'I like going to the movies just LIKE my friends [do]'

Either of the following is correct:

(1) Just as my friends do, I like going to the movies. (There is a verb in each clause [bold text], so "as" is used correctly.

(2) Like my friends, I enjoy going to the movies. (There is only one verb [bold text], which is shared by the two nouns [underlined], so like correctly compares the nouns. My friends enjoy going to the movies, and I enjoy going to the movies.)

The GMAT frowns on "just like," considering "like" sufficiently clear and more concise. However, "just as" is acceptable. Also, "like" tends to be used at the beginning of a sentence because placing it at the end can occasionally cause confusion:

I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies? Maybe, but that's probably not the intended meaning.)

[anusuthakaran]

Either of the following is correct:

(1) Just as my friends do, I like going to the movies. (There is a verb in each clause [bold text], so "as" is used correctly.

(2) Like my friends, I enjoy going to the movies. (There is only one verb [bold text], which is shared by the two nouns [underlined], so like correctly compares the nouns. My friends enjoy going to the movies, and I enjoy going to the movies.)

The GMAT frowns on "just like," considering "like" sufficiently clear and more concise. However, "just as" is acceptable. Also, "like" tends to be used at the beginning of a sentence because placing it at the end can occasionally cause confusion:

I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies? Maybe, but that's probably not the intended meaning.)

Thanks! That was helpful. :o)

[anjoy04]

I have a doubt here.

Shouldn't the sentence be 'I like going to the movies just AS my friends [do]' instead of 'I like going to the movies just LIKE my friends [do]'

Either of the following is correct:

(1) Just as my friends do, I like going to the movies. (There is a verb in each clause [bold text], so "as" is used correctly.

(2) Like my friends, I enjoy going to the movies. (There is only one verb [bold text], which is shared by the two nouns [underlined], so like correctly compares the nouns. My friends enjoy going to the movies, and I enjoy going to the movies.)

The GMAT frowns on "just like," considering "like" sufficiently clear and more concise. However, "just as" is acceptable. Also, "like" tends to be used at the beginning of a sentence because placing it at the end can occasionally cause confusion:

I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies? Maybe, but that's probably not the intended meaning.)

Hi Emily,
This was very clear explanation but could you tell me if the last sentence is correct?
"I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies?"

Here like is comparing "I with friends or comedies with friends?"

Also is this sentence correct:
It emerged based on the assumption that computers could be programmed to think like people/as people do?

Thanks

[esledge]

Hi Emily,
This was very clear explanation but could you tell me if the last sentence is correct?
"I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies?"

Here like is comparing "I with friends or comedies with friends?"

That one is INCORRECT, because it accidentally compares comedies with friends.

Also is this sentence correct:
It emerged based on the assumption that computers could be programmed to think like people/as people do?

Both are correct.

CORRECT: ...computers could be programmed to think like people.
Roughly, computers are similar to people, or computer thinking is similar to human thinking, so this is a noun comparison and it's OK to use like. This is really a metaphorical similarity between humans and computers; we don't mean to say they are identical. In our earlier examples, we put compared nouns closer to one another, e.g. ...computers, like people, could be programmed to think. You may notice that this phrasing changes the meaning: it implies that people can be programmed to think in exactly the same way that computers can.

CORRECT: ....computers could be programmed to think as people do. (As used correctly, comparing actions: think = do.)

[anusuthakaran]

I have a doubt here.

Shouldn't the sentence be 'I like going to the movies just AS my friends [do]' instead of 'I like going to the movies just LIKE my friends [do]'

Either of the following is correct:

(1) Just as my friends do, I like going to the movies. (There is a verb in each clause [bold text], so "as" is used correctly.

(2) Like my friends, I enjoy going to the movies. (There is only one verb [bold text], which is shared by the two nouns [underlined], so like correctly compares the nouns. My friends enjoy going to the movies, and I enjoy going to the movies.)

The GMAT frowns on "just like," considering "like" sufficiently clear and more concise. However, "just as" is acceptable. Also, "like" tends to be used at the beginning of a sentence because placing it at the end can occasionally cause confusion:

I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends. (Are my friends like romantic comedies? Maybe, but that's probably not the intended meaning.)

Hi Emily,

I need to revisit this explanation.
I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends.

Since we have a comma before 'like' i dont think there is any ambiguity.

Similar to the example given in SC strategy guide :
I want to coach divers, LIKE Greg Louganis. = Like Greg Louganis, I want to coach divers.

I enjoy watching romantic comedies LIKE my friends. This sentence, without the comma, is ambiguous as you point out.

[esledge]

Hi Emily,

I need to revisit this explanation.
I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends.

Since we have a comma before 'like' i dont think there is any ambiguity.

Similar to the example given in SC strategy guide :
I want to coach divers, LIKE Greg Louganis. = Like Greg Louganis, I want to coach divers.

I enjoy watching romantic comedies LIKE my friends. This sentence, without the comma, is ambiguous as you point out.

(1) I concede that you are right, but with some hesitation.
The closest OG example I found is #82 (owning and living...is a goal of a majority, like that of earlier generations). The original is rejected because the phrase after the comma is "not parallel to the main clause," i.e. it is not subject-verb-that of earlier generations.

However, the underlined phrase is parallel to the object of the main verb: a goal of a majority of young adults = that (a goal) of earlier generations.

This seems to indicate that the GMAT is not cool with "X is Y, like Z" if what you are trying to say is (X is Y) and (X was Z), too. But then again, maybe the different timeframes in the owning-and-living example necessitate a verb in each clause. If so, I wondered whether the GMAT would accept: Chocolate is a flavor for ice cream, like that for cake. I doubt it, even though the comparison is parallel, and the present tense verb applies to both objects.

So now that I think of it, this supports your assertion that "I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends" would not be interpreted as "I enjoy watching romantic comedies and watching my friends, too." So, I'm willing to concede that the comma in "I enjoy watching romantic comedies, like my friends" serves to clarify that the like phrase should modify the verb, not the object. If we intended to say comedies = friends, then we would have left the comma out.

But I still think it would be ideal to avoid like-at-the-end constructions, because they CAN be ambiguous. The GMAT seems to avoid them as well. The exception...

(2) The "quack like a duck" exception.

In #V100 "like" is used at the end. However, it follows a verb directly, and with no comma.

Computers that can reason like an expert = reason as an expert does.
The Bangles encouraged us to walk like an Egyptian = walk as an Egyptian would.
If it quacks like a duck, it quacks as a duck does.
I want to coach like Greg Louganis = coach as he does.
Note that all of these examples have "like" immediately following and modifying the verb, with no intervening object to muddy the waters.

(3) Finally, I don’t entirely agree with this example in the book:
I want to coach divers, LIKE Greg Louganis. ---equals----Like Greg Louganis, I want to coach divers.

Couldn't this imply that both Greg Louganis and I simply want to coach divers? Wishful thinking on the part of both of us, rather than the intended meaning that Mr. Louganis actually does coach, but I only aspire to.
This ambiguity results from having two verbs: want (in present tense) and to coach (infinitive). It’s unclear whether the "like" phrase modifies one or both. In fact, in this case the meaning is probably more unclear/wrong when "like" is at the beginning, parallel to "I" such that the two subjects share both verbs by default.

In summary:
While exceptions to the like-at-the-beginning-and-only-to-compare-nouns rule exist, they are not always clear cut. The likelihood of the GMAT testing the issue to this level is remote.