As a teenager in the 1980s, I incorporated some ungrammatical words and phrases from pop culture into my day-to-day dialogue. One of the worst habits I picked up was saying the word “like” to accent almost everything that came out of my mouth. (Like, I was totally, like, bad about it!) Eventually, I stopped, but my bad habit left a scar. I still have a grammar usage problem with the word like!
Like has multiple uses in Standard English, and it can be used formally and informally when speaking and writing. Formally, it can be used as a noun, a verb, an adjective, a preposition, and a conjunction. Informally, it can be used as an adverb.
Etymology explains that the formal usage of like as a conjunction began in the mid-14th century, but many grammarians regard this usage as an error. Also, since the mid-19th century, grammarians have been engaged in a long and complicated dispute over the use of the word like as a preposition or not. Many prefer to use as or as if instead of like.
Remember, a good command of the English language requires mastering the rules and applying them correctly when speaking and writing. I encourage you to make word-study a part of your language arts time. This activity will help you understand the word meanings, how to spell them, and in what situation to use them.
From your word-study activity, create a list of common English usage problems and study it! You will speak and write with more competence and confidence once your master the lists. We have provided a few example lists for you below, but you can find more resources located in your Shurley English book!