Learning English

Like

Discourse markers come in many forms. Some are used for linking and organising ideas, some are used more in written English and some are only used in spoken English.

Like is one that is common in spoken English.

You might think that you know the meaning of the word like. It's a verb that means enjoy, isn't it? I like coffee. Or maybe it's a preposition that means similar to? She looks like her mother. Of course we also use it when we want something: I'd like a cheese sandwich, please.

But what do you make of like in this example?

She was like "You can't come in," and I was like "Oh yes I can, I'm over eighteen," then she was like "You gotta be 21 to come in here." That was like so unfair.

Confused? Read on and all will be explained!

Read the text and complete the activity

She was like, you know, well, whatever!

One very common filler in modern spoken English is the word like.

It can be used to emphasise something:

• There were like 3,000 people there, it was amazing. = Like emphasises the large number of people.
• We didn't get home until like 3 o'clock in the morning! = Like emphasises how late it was.

It can be used when we are thinking about what we are going to say next and need a little time:

• "I'm going to ... like ... I want to think about the job, before I accept it."

In extremely informal speech it's another way of reporting what someone has said:

• She was like "he's my boyfriend" and I was like "no he's not" and she was like "whatever!"

You know

You know is another phrase which in spoken English is used in a similar way to like. It can emphasise something or give thinking time.

• I was, you know, really upset when she split up with me.
• I was, you know, going down the shops when, you know, I realised I'd left my keys at home. Gutted. 

Very important

You might hear these uses of like and you know in popular films or television programmes. They are only common in spoken English and only then in particular groups of young people or teenagers, so don't use them in formal or academic writing! 

To do

Just for fun, try this exercise. Decide whether the sentences are only suitable in spoken English or also fine to use in formal written English.

Next

That's the end of this session on discourse markers. It was, like, amazing, wasn't it! Now why not click on to the Session 2 and learn all about where to put adverbs?