[Erin]

Like vs. Such As

Question: What's the difference between like and such as?

Example of the "mistake" that we make in everyday speech:
Can you buy me some fruit like oranges or grapefruit?

How the GMAT Official Guide would explain this mistake: Using like in
this answer choice mistakenly suggests that the utterer of the request does
in fact not want oranges or grapefruit, but rather some other kind of fruit
that is similar to oranges or grapefruit.

In normal English: In GMATLand, like means similar to,
and such as means for example. Take a look at these examples:

• Can you buy me some fruit like oranges or grapefruit?
  

In GMATLand, this sentence would mean that you do NOT want oranges or grapefruit;
instead, you'd prefer some fruit similar to oranges and grapefruit. For example,
you may want pomelo, lemons, or limes. Yes, I know this sounds a little crazy,
but our goal is to understand what GMAT is looking for, not what is "correct"
English.

• Can you buy me some fruit such as oranges or grapefruit?
  

Yes, this is what we're supposed to say in GMATLand -- oranges and grapefruit
are examples of the type of fruit we want.

• I would like you to buy such fruit as oranges and grapefruit
  for me, if you don't mind.
  

This is simply a variation -- notice how such and as are separated. Separating
the two elements tends to make this pattern a bit harder to see.

[johnsmith]

In such as is the "as" optional ?

The question refers to a "correct answer" from GMAT Kaplan book (p 68)

Quote

Although the square root of a negative number has no real value, it is not necessarily true that equations involving such imaginary numbers have no practical applications.

It gives me the impression "such" is used with the meaning of "a kind of" and not with the meaning of "for example". However the former meaning doesn't really seem to match the context.

Thanks for you help.

John

[vreddy]

Just reflect on the following:

1. imaginary numbers such as 4+5i
2. such imaginary numbers as 4+5i
3. such imaginary numbers

[pantherphil]

I think all 3 replies are correct. Is the grammar of my answer correct?

[minchan]

an example from OG(#223)

As business grows more complex, students majoring in specialized areas like those of finance and marketing have been becoming increasingly successful in the job market.

a) majoring in specialized areas like those of finance and marketing have been becoming increasingly
b) who major in such specialized areas as finance and marketing are becoming more and more
c) who majored in specialized areas such as those of finance and marketing are being increasingly
d) who major in specialized areas like those of finance and marketing have been becoming more and more
e) having majored in such specialized areas as finance and marketing are being increasingly

I picked D, the answer is B

[vreddy]

I checked the explanation ETS gave for OG#223. On one hand, they mention "consequence"; on the other, they violate *strict tense*. That is, exochronous verb(who major) is anterior to "are becoming". In which case, such sequencing is illogical without assuming some ad hoc premisses. Of course, ETS got buncha ad hoc grammarians, as their understanding of "present-perfect" tells the story.

[tarakaram_g]

How advisor and adviser differ?

Scroll down to see the answer.

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Adviser and Advisor are synonyms.

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[sctest]

Erin, you gave an example (describing use of such as)

"I would like you to buy such fruit as oranges and grapefruit for me, if you don't mind."

is it better than saying:

"I would like you to buy fruit such as oranges and grapefruit for me, if you don't mind."

[kumarece_2004]

For the OG # 223....

Such as is used to give examples, so in this question finance and marketing are examples of areas. So all the choices that use like as.....is wrong.
This leaves us with B and C.
The portion which is not underlined is in Present tense, so B comes and another point is that.... Being is used in C which is most often wrong in GMAT.