Episode Transcript
[00:00:09] Speaker A: Did you know that even advanced English learners often confuse as and like when comparing foods, experiences or roles?
Or getting it right can make you sound much more natural and fluent.
[00:00:22] Speaker B: For example, people often say this dessert tests as chocolate instead of light chocolate. Small changes, big difference.
[00:00:33] Speaker A: Yeah. And today we are diving into this common confusion with a foodie twist.
So let's get started. We will also talk a little bit about the Comic Con for those who are fans of those things in San Diego. And you're listening to the train and podcast, and of course, this is your place to learn English.
Remember to get your free class with the link in the description or also visit just the QR code or visit us also in the website that you can see here below.
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So, Aline, I think we will start with with our fictional dialogue. This time. We are going to an international place just to eat food. Something that I think we like.
So let's go and start. So, wow. This dessert tastes like nothing I've ever tried before. The combination of chocolate and chili is amazing.
[00:01:42] Speaker B: I prefer it as a traditional chocolate mousse. It's more balanced.
[00:01:47] Speaker A: Okay, so like, it's for comparisons, as is for roles and functions, right?
[00:01:54] Speaker B: Exactly.
And look at these dumplings. They look like little parcels of joy.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: Well, on these small spoons, I use them as tasting spoons when I cook at home.
[00:02:07] Speaker B: This juice can be drunk as a refreshing drink, but tastes like tropical fruits.
[00:02:15] Speaker A: Even the chef plating the dishes, he presents them as works of art, not just meals. But the presentation looks like something from a painting.
[00:02:27] Speaker B: I'm noticing that using like in spoken English is more casual, while as sounds more precise in roles or formal contexts.
[00:02:37] Speaker A: That's right, exactly. And sometimes it's tricky because in Spanish, both translate as como di fil, Pero el contexto en estecaso es el es la clave. The context is the key.
[00:02:50] Speaker B: Also, humor helps. Look at this.
The chef added smoke for effect. I'd say the dish tastes like magic, not as magic.
[00:03:02] Speaker A: That's right. Yes. And remember, first skim the dish visually, then scan for ingredients or allergens. That's your real tasting logic.
So we have learned a little bit about the use of like and as in this conversation. So what can you tell us about this, Aline?
[00:03:21] Speaker B: Let me talk about like first for a beginning. For a start, both like and as are used to make comparisons, but they work differently. Let's concentrate on like.
Like is used to compare two Things that are similar.
Often before a noun or a pronoun example, it's used to say that one thing is similar to another.
Examples this dessert tastes like Italian gelato. Or he runs like a professional athlete.
That food smells like roasted spices.
We have to be careful with some mistakes.
Example. This tastes as a cake. That is wrong. We should say this tastes like a cake.
[00:04:11] Speaker A: Why? Why, Aline? Yeah, that's the question. Why?
[00:04:15] Speaker B: Because after taste, we're comparing similarity. We need like tastes like.
[00:04:26] Speaker A: Fantastic. Okay.
It has several roles, not any differentes roles. For example, it can be used as a function or a role. No? So to describe a job or a role. So for example, she works as a chef at that restaurant.
She works like a chef.
She works as. Okay.
Use the spoon as a tasting tool.
Now this gets a little bit more confusing or difficult. Okay, Comparing but with clause. Okay.
So when the comparison has a verb or phrase or a full clause, then we use as or as if.
Or as though. For example, he danced as if he were a superhero. Okay? Nodigimos. He danced like a superhero, okay? But he danced as if he were good. And they spoke as they had rehearsed.
They spoke like they had rehearsed.
And expressions like as far as.
These are common intermediate phrases with native speakers used to express opinion or knowledge.
So for example, as far as I know, who is okay? Hey, as far as I know.
As far as I know, okay. Or as far as I'm concerned.
Or as far as I can see.
As far I can see or as far as I can tell.
[00:06:48] Speaker B: Very good, Very useful.
Now let's concentrate on the colloquial use and the informal nuance in spoken English. You may hear like used in casual clauses, especially in conversations.
Let me give an example. I talked to him like earlier today.
That's a colloquial filler or muleteela or edge. And we don't recommend it for formal speaking, but it's very useful, like in everyday conversation.
Now, if you want to use formal context in presentations and essays, we prefer as with full clauses, more examples from the dialogue.
Comparisons with like we said, these desserts tastes like nothing I've tried before.
Or that sauce smells like roasted herbs.
That was for comparisons with like. Now we also saw roles of function with as.
I use these tools as tasting. As tasting utensils. Or he talks about flavors as a food critic.
Now, if we talk about close comparisons, he presented the dish as if it were a masterpiece. This structure used a full clothes where it were a masterpiece. So he presented the dish as if it were a masterpiece.
[00:08:16] Speaker A: So let's check also common mistakes. Okay. And also how to fix them. That's important part.
So for example, she behaves like she's the boss.
She behaves as if she's the boss. Okay.
Why? Well, because a full verb phrase follows like or as in the formal English it prefers as if he works like a chef in that kitchen. Okay. The function.
The correct here would be the function. He works as a chef in that kitchen. Why? Because as expresses the role, the identity.
[00:09:26] Speaker B: Very good. And now I have a question for the audience.
[00:10:04] Speaker A: But first, first, first, if you are enjoying this episode, Visit our website trainlang.com to improve your English with a 100% effective method and a very complete E learning platform.
Or just scan the QR to get your free class.
[00:10:21] Speaker B: Let's continue now exploring English while having fun.
Keep practicing and noticing how native native people use as and like in different contexts. Let's see how we do that.
[00:10:35] Speaker A: Fantastic. Go. Okay.
[00:10:57] Speaker B: Okay, let's start. Okay. Johnny, I swear that guy dressed as Thor just dropped his hammer and three people tried to pick it up. Comic Con is wild.
[00:11:09] Speaker A: Of course they did. Everyone here believes they are worthy. That's the magic of Comic Con, Aline. People forget reality for a few days and fully embrace their inner superhero.
[00:11:20] Speaker B: Honestly, I love it. And it's huge. More than 130,000 people come every year.
The whole city transforms. Hotels get booked months in advance, restaurants create themed menus, and even taxi drivers start making Marvel jokes.
[00:11:41] Speaker A: Yeah, last year my driver said, buckle up, we're entering the multiverse.
I wasn't sure if he meant traffic or something else.
[00:11:50] Speaker B: Look over there. That's the line for the exclusive screenings. Some fans camp outside for hours just to watch a 10 minute preview of a movie that won't come out for another year.
[00:12:03] Speaker A: Wow. They love it. Comic Con is basically the Olympics of patience. Because people wait in line for panels, for merch, for autographs, even for theme snacks. Speaking of snacks, have you seen the galactic nacho stand?
[00:12:19] Speaker B: Oh, yes. And the Hulk smash burrito. It's green. Very green. I'm not sure if it's food or a science experiment. Experiments.
[00:12:30] Speaker A: Well, that's part of the charm. Aline. Comic Con mixes creativity with chaos. You have professional artists selling prints, indie creators showing the comics, and fans walking around dressed as characters from every universe imaginable.
[00:12:45] Speaker B: And the panels are incredible. Directors, actors, writers, they all come to share news, answer questions, and sometimes reveal surprises.
A few years ago, an entire cast walked on stage in costume. The crowd went absolutely crazy.
[00:13:03] Speaker A: Yeah, the Comic Con is also a place where big announcements happen, or new movie trailers, game releases, special collaborations. It's like, I don't know, just a pop culture of fans, but louder and more dramatic.
[00:13:18] Speaker B: I mean, look at that Deadpool cosplayer. He's doing a photo shoot with a group of Pikachus. Where else would you see that?
[00:13:30] Speaker A: Oh, exactly. And Comic Con isn't alone. There are similar events around the world. For example, the Tokyo Game show in Japan. More than 200,000 visitors. It's super high tech. You can try new games before they released. And some booths like futuristic cities.
[00:13:48] Speaker B: Oh, and CCXP in Brazil. That one is huge too. Fans that were there are extremely passionate. They cosplay competitions. Their cosplay competitions are legendary. People spend months building armor, wings, helmets. And sometimes the costumes are so big they need assistance to walk.
[00:14:09] Speaker A: And in Europe, There is the GamesCon in Germany, it's the biggest gaming event in the world. And it's intense in imagine, thousands of people playing games at the same time. It's like a giant digital playground.
[00:14:21] Speaker B: And in Spain, the Salon del Manga de Barcelona is a must see.
Anime fans everywhere, amazing cosplays, Japanese food stands, workshops. It feels like traveling to Tokyo without leaving Europe.
[00:14:36] Speaker A: Okay, but what all of these events are sharing is the same spirit, creativity, community, and little bit of madness. People come to celebrate what they love, meet others who share the same passion, and escape reality for a while.
[00:14:57] Speaker B: And honestly, that's why Comic Con is so special. You can be a superhero, a villain, a wizard, a robot, or just a very confused tourist, and everyone welcomes you.
[00:15:09] Speaker A: That's right, exactly. Whether you are here for the march, for the merch, the panels, the food, or the chaos, Comic Con gives you a story to tell and probably a photo with someone dressed as a character you don't recognize. Like this picture we can see here,
[00:15:24] Speaker B: which is part of the fun.
So to our listeners, if you ever get the chance to visit Comic Con or any fun event, go for it. You'll laugh, you learn, you'll wait in line for hours and you'll love every minute.
[00:15:38] Speaker A: And who knows, maybe next year you'll be here with us eating suspiciously green burritos and talking self, taking selfies with superheroes. So, yeah, well, it sounds like. Sounds fun, Aline.
[00:15:54] Speaker B: I'm not sure I want to try the burrito, though.
[00:15:57] Speaker A: Oh, no, me neither.
[00:15:58] Speaker B: Okay, very good. So let's go back to the question for the audience that we asked. Yeah, it was fans.
How would you say that.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: At Comic Con, some fans act like heroes while others only dress like that.
At comic con. Some fans.
While others only dress like them. Okay.
[00:16:54] Speaker B: Very good.
[00:17:00] Speaker A: Okay, make a sentence comparing two foods, all describing a role using us.
[00:17:35] Speaker B: How do you usually use as or like? Write your sentences in the YouTube comments and tell us as well your favorite food comparisons. Tell us as or like, when do you use them?
[00:17:47] Speaker A: Fantastical. And in our next episode, we will explore a healthy life with relative clauses. Okay. And you'll learn how to connect ideas smoothly and speak naturally.
[00:18:07] Speaker B: We guarantee the best teachers and the most complete e learning platform because we are number one language school online language school.
Write to us using the link in the description or scan the QR code that you can see here. You're just one click away from speaking English like a native.
[00:18:39] Speaker A: As you like movie. Okay. Bueno.
