Oatmeal (mingau de aveia) can be the most comforting and fulfilling breakfast, lunch, or dinner. A student was having (eating) a bowl of oatmeal during the class (online classes allow for that), and I asked her to share her oatmeal recipe with me. Then, she started listing the ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of the oats (aveia)

She thought that she had to use “of the”, because of phrases like the end of the day, the cost of the meal, a member of the team, etc.

So I decided to prepare this lesson.

In this context, when we are listing the ingredients of the recipe, OF is being used to show what type of substance or thing we are referring to when talking about the amount:

• two kilos of sugar
• millions of dollars
• a bar of chocolate

There are many different oatmeal recipes, and the purpose of this lesson is not the recipe itself but to learn how to say it. Here is an easy one only to show you how the ingredients are listed. Notice the 1/2 cup of rolled oats. 

Okay, now let’s look at some situations in which we use of the:

Okay! Let’s see what other ingredients my student adds to her oatmeal recipe, starting from the beginning:

• 2 tablespoons of oats
• 1 cup of milk
• 1 tablespoon of whey protein
• 1 banana
• a dash (pitada) of cinnamon

Way to go Mariane! Bon apettit!

Like and as are words commonly used in English for comparisons. Even though there are subtle differences between them, English speakers use them interchangeably. They are even sometimes misused.

The confusion in using like and as is first caused by translating them to Portuguese, because both of them mean “como”, one word only.  

In formal writing, like is used as a preposition, telling location, direction, time or relationship between a noun or a pronoun and another word in a sentence. As is used as a conjunction, joining two clauses (groups of words that must include a subject and a verb), with the bonus that you have a comparison too.

But let me remind you that there are two ways of comparing:

‘more _____ than’ or ‘_____ than’ and ‘as _____ as,’ compare qualities, speed, height, weight, cost, shape

‘like’ and ‘as’ compare things to things, actions to actions

When to use Like

• He looks like Oscar Wilde.

Here, we are comparing he and Oscar Wilde, so like should be used.

• The little girl, like her mother, has bright red hair.

The same goes for this sentence, where we are comparing a mother and daughter.

• She’s a teacher, like me.

• I love sports like tennis and golf.
• I have hobbies like dancing and cycling.

When to use As

• I work as a teacher.

• No one makes chocolate cake as my mother does.

Notice how you could replace as with ‘the way’ or ‘in the same way’ and maintain the same meaning.

• No one makes chocolate cake the way my mother does.

Let’s look at another example.

• He can’t play cricket as he used to.

At first glance, there appears to be no verb after as. However, when speaking, we often leave out verbs that are already implied. The implied verb is play, as in he used to play cricket. 

Traditionally, like needs to be followed by a noun. However, in informal English, like can replace as. Some people think this is not correct, but it is common in American English.

• Nobody understands him as I do.
• Nobody understands him like I do.

• I’ll dress up as a ghost for Halloween.
• We can use the sofa as a bed.

Now compare the following sentences. Here, the change from as to like changes the meaning.

Here is a video that reminds us of the use of as for comparing something that is equal (as + adjective + as), and teaches some expressions, like:

• As you know, I’m from Brazil.
• I booked that restaurant, as you suggested.
• As we agreed, I’ll pay you tomorrow.
• You’re late, as usual/always.
• She’s the same age as me.

Next, there is a chart which summarizes this information.

Here is another good lesson and you can now do exercises about as and like.

This is a question shared by many English learners.

The main difference between these two words concerns ‘who’ is performing the action.

Get is passive, and take is an active verb.

But I suggest you check the Verbo “to get” lesson first.

The following video shows a few main points to start with. Make sure to take notes! 😉

GET means to gain possession of something. Is a more casual (common) way of saying “obtain” or “receive”.

Get can be used when another person (or thing) gives you something. This is more passive.

I got a call from Gary this morning.
(I received a call from Gary this morning. This is passive, I just received the call.)

Ellen got the new bike on her birthday.

TAKE means to move or carry something from one place to another.

Ellen takes her new bike everywhere she needs to go.

Take doesn’t always need another person (or thing). Something can be taken by a single person in the sentence.

I took the call in my office.
(I accepted/received the call in my office. This is more active, I decided where to accept the call. I am also the only person in this sentence.)

Let’s look at another example:

There is a new Italian restaurant near my office. I got a flyer this morning. The restaurant looks good.

– This sentence is passive, we don’t know how I received the flyer, maybe someone gave it to me, or maybe it came in the mail. We only know that I have it, I received it.

Compare:

There is a new Italian restaurant near my office. I took a flyer this morning from the front door. The restaurant looks good.

– This sentence has an active feeling, we know how I received the flyer and we know what I did to receive it. I took it from the front door. The flyers were offered and I accepted one.

Take can sometimes have a negative feeling

You can take something that is offered to you, like a flyer, some food, etc. This is to accept something. But…
If you remove something that is not offered to you we still use the verb take, but the meaning is negative. This can mean stealing:

Someone took my bicycle from the park. (Someone stole my bike.)

Or it can be a mistake:

I left the house in a rush this morning and I took my wife’s keys by accident. (I grabbed my wife’s keys by mistake.)

Compare:

I got $20 from my Dad for helping him clean the garage. My Dad gave me the money.
I took $20 from my Dad’s wallet. I stole $20 from my Dad. I removed $20 without permission.

Take can also suggest to gain possession of something by force, illegally or unfairly. Then it is similar to verbs like “seize” and “capture”.

The military took control of the country after the soldiers rebelled.

Take is also often used more idiomatically (cannot be understood from the meanings of its separate words but that has a separate meaning of its own) as well, in providing directions to a place. For example:

Jack’s store is on Robbins Road. Take 4^th Street for a mile and you will see it.

In that case, take means “use” or “follow”.

Confusingly, take can also be used similar to the verb “give”, like in this sentence:

Michael takes care of Jennifer’s dog.

In that case, the speaker means Michael is the person responsible for meeting the dog’s needs. He is the caregiver to the dog.

Finally, take is often used in connection with expressions of time. For example:

Ellie takes 30 minutes to get ready for work.

That sentence has the exact same meaning as Ellie spends 30 minutes to get ready for work.

Get also is common to idiomatic expressions. It often substitutes for “understand” and “know” (check out the Verbo “to get” lesson). Look at this sentence:

I get that we have to learn math but I do not like it.

Sometimes that usage clearly suggests a speaker’s impatience or frustration:

“I get it, Mom! I have to clean my room today.”

Finally, get is a common substitute for “feel”, “become”, or “start”, among others (check the Adjectives for feelings lesson). Here are some examples:

I’m going to leave for lunch when I get hungry.

She gets sad on rainy days.

He left the show when the music got loud.

There are many more idiomatic uses of get and take. Look for them whenever you get to practice your English! Hehe…

Below is a chart to help you with all this information.

For some practice, work on a quiz about get and take.