Practice
Like and such as: give examples clearly
Sign in to saveThe shop sells fruit such as pears and oranges. A stall like that would be useful near the station. The first sentence names examples; the second compares one stall with another.
Choose like or such as to compare things or introduce examples clearly in a sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
We need supplies such as paper and tape. /wiː niːd səˈplaɪz sʌtʃ æz ˈpeɪpə ænd teɪp/
The short answer
Use such as to introduce actual examples of a category. Use like to say that one thing is similar to another. In formal or careful writing, choose such as when you are listing examples.
We need supplies such as paper, tape, and envelopes.
Why it works: Paper, tape, and envelopes are examples of supplies.
5 more examples
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The course covers skills such as note-taking and giving presentations.
Note-taking and giving presentations are two examples of skills covered by the course.
Not this:I want a course
like that one. What changes: The speaker wants a similar course, not a list of course skills. -
Many outdoor activities, such as cycling and climbing, need suitable equipment.
Cycling and climbing are examples within the broader group outdoor activities.
Not this:An activity
like climbingcan build confidence. What changes: Like means similar to climbing; it does not identify a complete category list. -
A neighborhood like ours needs a late bus service.
The phrase compares another neighborhood with the speaker's neighborhood.
Not this:The neighborhood has services
such as a library and a health clinic. What changes: The library and clinic are examples of services in the neighborhood. -
Please bring a photo ID, such as a passport or driver's license.
A passport and a driver's license are examples of photo ID.
Not this:Bring an ID card
like mineif you have one. What changes: Like mine asks for an ID card similar to the speaker's card. -
The museum is looking for volunteers with interests such as local history or photography.
Local history and photography are examples of interests that may fit the volunteer work.
Not this:The museum wants a volunteer
like Priya. What changes: The museum wants someone similar to Priya, rather than examples of interests.
Read the full guide
Start with the meaning you need. Are you naming members of a group, or saying that two things are similar? Such as answers the first question. Like answers the second. Then read the sentence once more: the word before the phrase should name the group, and the words after it should fit that group.
Name the category before such as
Such as works best when the reader has already seen a broad category. The words after it should be members of that category. This helps the reader see why the examples belong together.
The café offers hot drinks such as tea and coffee.
Hot drinks is the category. Tea and coffee are items from that category.
Which phrase gives examples of payment methods after We accept payment methods?
Add such as cash and debit cards.
Use like for similarity
Use like when one person, thing, or situation is similar to another. The word after like is the point of comparison. You are not necessarily giving a list of examples.
I would like a job like my sister's.
The speaker wants a job similar to the sister's job. The sentence does not name types of jobs.
A tool like this can save time.
This means a similar tool can save time, even if it is not exactly the same tool.
Ask what the phrase means
When you are unsure, turn the sentence into a short question. If the answer is Which members of this group?, use such as. If the answer is Similar to what?, use like. Check the meaning first, then check the word position.
We studied writers such as Maya Angelou and James Baldwin.
The phrase answers Which writers? It gives examples from the group writers.
What does a phone like yours mean?
It means a phone similar to yours, so use like.
Make lists easy to read
Such as is useful in instructions, reports, and explanations because it marks the words that follow as examples. Add commas around a middle phrase when the sentence still reads naturally without it. Do not add commas only because such as appears.
Some documents, such as receipts and invoices, should be kept for a year.
The phrase sits in the middle of the sentence, so the commas show where the added examples begin and end.
Choose materials such as wood or recycled plastic.
Here the examples complete the instruction, so no extra commas are needed.
Notice informal use of like
In conversation, speakers often say things like laptops and tablets to introduce examples. Listeners usually understand. In a sentence where you need to be precise, such as laptops and tablets makes the example relationship explicit.
Informal speech: We need things like folders and labels.
The speaker probably means examples, but like could also suggest similar items. Such as is clearer when writing the list down.
Which phrase is clearer in a workplace checklist that names examples?
Use such as: Bring stationery such as pens and sticky notes.
Choose the phrase before you write
Before you finish a sentence, underline the general noun and the words that follow it. Use such as if those words are examples of the noun. Use like if you are comparing one thing with another. This quick check prevents a vague list.
The app has features such as reminders and shared calendars.
Reminders and shared calendars are named features, so such as introduces them.
I need an app like this one for my team.
The speaker is looking for a similar app, so like is the natural choice.
Before you go
Remember this
Use such as after a category to name examples from it. Use like before a noun phrase to say similar to. If you are writing a list for a reader, such as is often the clearest choice.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Like and such as: give examples clearly"
What is the main difference between like and such as?
Such as introduces examples that belong to a category already named, as in transport such as buses and trains. Like means similar to, as in a town like ours. When the distinction matters, use the phrase that states the relationship you mean.
The course covers skills such as note-taking and giving presentations.
Can like introduce examples in English?
Yes. In informal speech, people often use like before examples, and listeners commonly understand the meaning. In careful writing, such as is usually clearer when you are naming examples from a category, because like can also mean similar to.
I want a course like that one.
What should come before such as?
Put a broad category before such as, then name one or more examples that belong to it. For example, you can write skills such as note-taking and presenting. The reader can then see that the listed actions are types of skills.
Many outdoor activities, such as cycling and climbing, need suitable equipment.
Does like always mean the same as similar to?
In the comparison pattern taught here, yes: a route like this one means a route similar to this one. Like can have other jobs in English, including a verb for enjoyment, so use the sentence around it to decide which meaning is intended.
An activity like climbing can build confidence.
Do I need commas with such as?
Use commas when the such as phrase is extra information in the middle of a sentence, as in Some documents, such as receipts, need to be stored. Do not add commas automatically; leave them out when the examples are needed to complete the sentence.
A neighborhood like ours needs a late bus service.