Uses of 'Like'
'Like' can be used as a verb or as a preposition. There are a number of common questions with 'like' that are easy to confuse.
- What's he like? - 'What … like?' is used to ask about a person's or object's character and is general in nature.
- What does he like? - This use of the verb 'like' is for general preferences. 'Like' as a verb is generally followed by the 'ing' form of the verb (I like playing tennis).
- What does she look like? - 'Like' is used as a preposition to express physical appearance. In this case, 'like' can also mean 'similar to' if you are making a comparison to other people.
- What would you like to drink? - Another common use of 'like' is in 'would like' to express wishes. Note that 'would like' is followed by the infinite form of the verb NOT the '-ing' form.
