Learn Vocabulary - look, look like, look alike, look as if...

TRANSCRIPT

So first, let's look at the plain verb: "look". "He looks happy.", "She looks sad." In this case, very straightforward. The verb means have the appearance of, to appear in a certain way. So it's always about physical appearance, what the eyes can see. "He looks sad." Means maybe has a frown. "Looks happy." Big smile. Right? Doesn't matter what the appearance is, that's what we use "look" for. "Look" plus usually an adjective or etcetera.

Now, "look like". Technically, this "like" is a preposition, it's a verb plus a preposition. Now, many people will say: "It looks like it's going to rain." Now, does this seem like a good sentence to you, like a correct sentence to you? "It looks like it's going to rain." If you say: "Yes", don't worry - most people, including native English speakers will say this sentence. "Oh, it looks like it's going to rain." Clouds, grey clouds, a little bit chilly, looks like it's going to rain. Technically, this is incorrect. You could say: "It looks like rain." That would be okay. After "like" which is a preposition-okay?-you cannot have a clause, you cannot have a subject and verb. You can only have a noun or an adjective, etcetera. "It looks like rain." That's the... That's the appearance we have. Okay? But again, many, many people including native English speakers use this incorrectly. If you do, don't worry about it. Everybody will understand you. If you're writing an academic PhD thesis, don't do that.

Now, when can I use a clause after "like"? After "look", I'm sorry. You can do it with the conjunction: "as". Okay? "Looks"... "Look as if" or: "Look as though" is a verb and a conjunction. After a conjunction, you can have the subordinate clause. A comparative adverb clause with a subject and a verb. "It looks as if it was going to rain.", "It looks as if it were going to rain.", "It looks as though it was going to rain." Okay? Or: "It looked as though it was going to rain." Now, we'll get back to that in a second.

We also have: "look alike". Okay? This is a verb plus an adjective. "Look alike" is when two things look similar to each other. So Bob and his brother, Bill, really look alike. Means they look like brothers, they look almost the same or very similar. Right? Keep in mind you can also have a "lookalike" which is a noun actually. Now, if you ever go to Las Vegas, you will see many men especially, I'm sure women do it as well, but many men dressed like Elvis Presley. You know, they have the hair, they have that suit, the glasses - they are called lookalikes, they're impersonators. They pretend to be somebody else; they dress the same, they look the same, they act the same, speak the same, etcetera. Lots of places you will see like Princess Diana lookalikes or-what's her name?-Kate now. Kate? Yeah, that's the new princess. Lots of lookalikes, people pretend to look like that.

Now, "look as if", "look as though". I've done a bit of research on this because someone asked me to find out what the difference is. Most teachers, many books, if not, most books will tell you that there is absolutely no difference between the two. So if you interchange them, if you use them the same way, one or the other... "It looks like it's like...", "It looks as if it were going to rain.", "It looks as though it were going to rain." No problem, everybody will understand you. If you write it, also, probably no problem.

I'll tell you how I personally use the two a little bit differently. Okay? For me, "looks as if" talks about a possibility. Okay? It might be that way, it's more of a hypothetical because of the word: "if". We usually use "if" as a hypothetical; maybe yes, maybe no, we don't really know, possible. "Looks as though" I would say is a bit more probable, a probability.

[innabulatova]

This lesson looks clear. It looks like a clear lesson.
It looks as if(though) I understood this topic.
'look like' and 'look as if' looked alike for me before the lesson.

[rollings]

You're an excellent teacher! Thanks for researching the use of them! I'm always watching you and follow you whenever you post a new video

[nguyenviet]

Last time, I was chatting with a native.i said that”their music looks like being made for some horror movies” and she corrected me’ their music looks like it’s being made for horror movies’ with an explanation that it’s not a clause but a subject it needs to be specified again what is having an action done to them’

[thilinidulashanibandara]

It's very clear for me, thanks a lot sir!

My friend Angelo looks sad because he may be dying to drink cachaça, however, he doesn´t have money . Therefore i think he´s about to cry .

[MrAdrianojujuba]

Hi Adam, I, m from Brazil and I learned so much with your lessons, I would like a special request about verb (take) as soon as possible, talk to you later

[didadidahong]

可以, 很给力 You're very 给力(geilivable).

[bar]

Hi Adam, that's a great lesson. I have a request for you: could you go over the difference between to as preposition and to as part of the infinitive. Thanks a lot.

[ahmetziyaaktas]

Adam, in my mind, if you had given more examples, we would understand better. However, this is also very useful thank you. 😊

[blancoarnau]

You said that "look like" must have a preposition after it but what about "You look like your father"? Isn't it right, instead?

[mohamedmifras]

Sir,
According to as if how do we use ?
Real and unrealistic right.
Is this information is correct ?
I have a doubt in as if after sentence is past or present ?
We want to follow this rules or not?


As if & As Though Grammar Rules

Using as if and as though in different Tenses

After as if and as though we often use a past tense with present meaning. This shows that the comparison is unreal. A present tense, on the other hand, shows that we are talking about real and possible situations.

Examples:

She talks as if/as though she knows everything. (Perhaps she knows everything.)

She talks as if/as though she knew everything. (But she doesn’t.)

He looks as if/as though he knows the answer. (Perhaps he knows the answer.)

He looks as if/as though he knew the answer. (but he doesn’t know or we don’t know whether he knows or not)

[lawofaverages]

Proper 'English Rules' or not, , , come off it. Who, in reality will use 'it looks as if were going to rain' instead of 'it looks like it's going to rain'. 1 in a 1000 maybe !!! If he was using a sentence like 'it looks as if he was going to fall', ,, then that's different. Thats clearly used in common universal English as is ' its looks like its going to rain'.

[irinarod]

Hello Adan, ¿Can you help me? ¿ Wen i can use these words?

With
Each 
which and
Such

Please.

Thanks

 

[nassimfarah]

I’m sorry but I’m just going to get some more money and then I will have a good weekend with the family for the day before I leave bay 😅😅

[azizachat]

what about this sentence: you look like you need help . that from teacher native teacher english.. i m lost

[ChissanoJose]

I loved it! I had known about " look as if /though" amazing. ❤

[wabi-sabi]

Please lmk which one is correct -
1.Whom do you think he look alike?/
2.Who do you think he looks alike?

[williamssharon]

In the sentence, "she made him look a complete fool" is the word look a verb with an object (fool)?

[justinoneill]

Hi, I use 'it looks as if' as a possibility, but I use 'looks as though', when I observe something to be true that has happened /occured, e.g. It looks as though it rained during the night'. Great videos btw, thankyou

[abraham]

There are wo words that I can describe in this lesson...GREAT DISTINCTION. You're great man...awesome. The lesson is CLEAR AS A WATER.