Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[nawee]

Hello,

Is it ok to use "like" to mean 'for example' in this sentence?

Or I could do something I should have done, but have been postponing, like tidying up the wardrobe, cleaning the sideboard or fixing the broken clock.

Thank you,

Nawee

[hitori2k6]

Nawee,

You are correct. In your example, "like" can also mean "for example".
Another similar expression would be "such as". See the example
you've provided, but I've substituted "like" for "such as".


"Or I could do something I should have done, but have been postponing,
such as tidying up the wardrobe, cleaning the sideboard or fixing the
broken clock.

I should also like to compliment you on your questions. You always
seem to have really good questions and a pretty good grasp of
the understanding of the expressions.

[nawee]

Thank you for your kind words (",).

I find that explanations given in reference grammar books are not enough when it comes to the actual usage of the language. Do I need 'the' here? Is this the appropriate preposition? As a non-native, it is difficult to judge if something sounds natural. So the Help Centre is a real life saver!

Many thanks to all the contributors of this website!

Nawee