Mekita Rivas, SNR communications associate, publishes a biweekly feature called "Grammar Guru."
Every other week, the Grammar Guru will share writing tips to help make your work as polished as possible. Some of these tips may address common spelling errors, while others will examine the many nuances of the English language.
Grammar Guru Tip #24
The word "like" should not be used before a clause. (Refresher: clauses are units of grammar that contain at least one predicate [verb] and a subject.)
Whenever a subject and verb follow, remember to substitute "like" with either "as though" or "as if," as illustrated in the example below.
Example:
NOT: It looks like it will rain.
BUT: It looks as though it will rain.
Pro tip: "Like" should be used only before a noun.
Example: The boy looks like his father. That flower looks like a rose.
Need some grammar guidance? The UNL Style Guide (http://unlcms.unl.edu/ucomm/styleguide/) is a great resource for all university employees. If you have writing questions that the style guide doesn't answer, feel free to email the Grammar Guru at mrivas@unl.edu.