What is the Difference Between As and Like?

The prepositions "as" and "like" have different meanings and uses in sentences. Here are the key differences between the two:

1. As:

• Means 'in the role of' or 'in the same way as'.
• Used when followed by a verb.
• Can be replaced by "the way" in some cases.
• Examples: He worked as a teacher, as she had suggested, and he did it as efficiently as possible.

1. Like:

• Means 'similar to' or 'in the same way as'.
• Used when not followed by a verb.
• Examples: She looks like her sister, and it sounds like a cat.

When deciding whether to use "as" or "like," consider if the sentence is followed by a verb. If it is, use "as." If it's not, use "like". Keep in mind that "like" is often used to show similarity but does not directly compare two things in terms of degree, while "as" is key for making direct comparisons.

Comparative Table: As vs Like

The main difference between the CREATE TABLE LIKE and CREATE TABLE AS SELECT statements lies in the data they insert into the new table:

• CREATE TABLE LIKE:

• Copies the table structure, including column names, data types, and column attributes, along with indexes and constraints from the original table.

• Does not copy any data from the original table, creating an empty table.

• Does not preserve DATA DIRECTORY, INDEX DIRECTORY, TEMPORARY table status, or any foreign key definitions.

• CREATE TABLE AS SELECT:

• Copies the table structure, including column names and data types.

• Inserts data from the original table into the new table, including primary keys.

• Often used with more complicated queries to generate temporary tables.

Here is a table summarizing the differences:

In summary, CREATE TABLE LIKE is used to create an empty table with the same structure as the original table, while CREATE TABLE AS SELECT inserts data from the original table into the new table.