I’m still waiting for a good explanation of “as” versus “like”
"'Like'. Not to be used for the conjuction 'as'. 'Like' governs nouns and pronouns; before phrases and clauses the equivalent word is 'as'."
Then, the authors give two examples;the first sentence is wrong, the second is correct:
"We spent the evening like in the old days."
"We spent the evening as in the old days."
And also: "Chole smells good, like a pretty girl should."
Chloe smells good, as a pretty girl should."
THEN--there follows this wonderful little commentary:
"The use of 'like' for 'as' has its defenders; they argue that any usage that achieves currency becomes valid automatically. This, they say, is the way the language is formed.
It is, and it isn't. An expression sometimes merely enjoys a vogue, much as an article of apparel does. 'Like' has long been widely misused by the illiterate; lately it has been taken up by the knowing and the well-informed, who find it catchy, or liberating, and who use it as though they were slumming.[I love this bit of wit!] If every device that achieved currency were immediately authenticated, simply on the ground of popularity, the language would be as chaotic as a ball game with no foul lines. For the student, perhaps the most useful thing to know about 'like' is that most carefully edited publications regard its use before phrases and clauses as simple error."
Of course, keep in mind this little gem of a book was published in 1959--when schools STILL TAUGHT minor details like spelling, puncuation, and grammar!
Don’t bother. “Like” is now used for “as.” (sigh)
"Like" is what you do when you want to approve of a poster on Facebook. "As" is like when you copy them.