As Vs Like

[tallynik]

310. For some reason the new consultant treats his clients like idiots, talking to them like they were mentally deficient and incapable of understanding more than the simplest ideas.
(A) like idiots, talking to them like they
(B) as if they were idiots, talking to them like they
(C) like idiots, talking to them as if they
(D) as idiots, talking to them like they
(E) like idiots who

Please explain the difference between as and like.
As my understanding "like" is used for similarity and "as" is used for exemplification.

Request you to please each answer choice.[/spoiler]

[vivek.kapoor83]

IMO Never use ' as' for exemplification...use
such as ' rather than 'as' for giving examples.
Like is used to compare 2 clauses.
As is used to compare 2 nouns etc.

[rohangupta83]

IMO C

client and idiots are nouns. 'Like' is used to compare two nouns and not clauses. As is used to compare clauses.

[vivek.kapoor83]

Rohan,
you are absoultely right. my typo ...Rohan is correct.

[rohangupta83]

Hey,
no problem vivek.

[schumi_gmat]

IMO C.

The as if they were........is a subjunctive mood and hence the answer

[Stacey Koprince]

There are two different sets of rules to remember.

In a split between like and such as, like means "similar to" and as means "for example."

In a split between like and as, like is used to compare nouns and as is used to compare clauses (a string of words that include a verb).

So, first, we've got "treats his clients [like/as] idiots." What's being compared here? Clients and idiots. Nouns. Use like. Eliminate B and D. (Note: we're ignoring the stuff after the comma because that's a separate modifier.)

Next, we've got "talking to them [like/as if] they were..." What's being compared here? "talking to them" and "they were deficient..." Use as. Eliminate A. C uses as; keep it in.

E changes things up a bit, so let's look at that separately. "treats his clients like idiots who were deficient..." Now, we're not just comparing the nouns "clients" and "idiots" before moving on to a separate modifier. Instead, we've got "treats his clients" and "idiots who were deficient"... that is, now we've got clauses. We can't use "like" here. Eliminate E.

That leaves us with C!

[jimmiejaz]

Thanks a lot Stacey for explaining it.

Can you throw some light on this question pls...

https://www.beatthegmat.com/subjunctive- ... 10240.html

Rajiv

[rohangupta83]

There are two different sets of rules to remember.

In a split between like and such as, like means "similar to" and as means "for example."

In a split between like and as, like is used to compare nouns and as is used to compare clauses (a string of words that include a verb).

So, first, we've got "treats his clients [like/as] idiots." What's being compared here? Clients and idiots. Nouns. Use like. Eliminate B and D. (Note: we're ignoring the stuff after the comma because that's a separate modifier.)

Next, we've got "talking to them [like/as if] they were..." What's being compared here? "talking to them" and "they were deficient..." Use as. Eliminate A. C uses as; keep it in.

E changes things up a bit, so let's look at that separately. "treats his clients like idiots who were deficient..." Now, we're not just comparing the nouns "clients" and "idiots" before moving on to a separate modifier. Instead, we've got "treats his clients" and "idiots who were deficient"... that is, now we've got clauses. We can't use "like" here. Eliminate E.

That leaves us with C!

Stacey,

On one of your posts a while ago I read that there is another way to identify where to use 'like' and where to use 'as'. If I am not mistaken, if in a clause there is one verb, we use 'like' and if there are two verbs, we use an 'as'. My memory is a little hazy right now, could you please shed some light on this?

[simba12123]

Hello,

I would like to branch off from this conversation and ask a similiar one.

I am seeing splits in the OG SC questions and they deal with 1.) Rather than and 2.) Instead of. Are there any specific differences?