If the word like is a verb that means “fond of” or it is a preposition that compares, it is
being used correctly.
…I like being outdoors in the early morning.
…She likes chocolate.
…Like my mother, I have blue eyes.
…She is not like him in any way.
In ALL other contexts (including when it is trying to mean “around”), it is a thowaway,
means nothing, is more than annoying, and must have commas around it — NO
exceptions.
…It was, like, after 4:00.
…We were, like, really busy tonight at, like, work.
…There were, like, five that, like, had to be, like, redone before, like, we could, like, use
them, like.
Happy punctuating!
Margie
Comments 12
I love your blog! Is it “thowaway” or “throwaway?”
Author
Not sure what you are asking. It is one word, I believe.
Have a good day.
Margie
I’m saying that you typed “thowaway,” leaving out the “r.” It should be “throwaway.”
Author
Oh. Thanks.
Have a good day.
What about when “like” is used in place of “about” or “approximately”? Example: “It was like 25 feet from the cliff.” If you consider “like” a throwaway that could be removed, then it sounds like an exact figure.
Author
The word “like” must be surrounded by commas here because it is a throwaway. You are not going to remove it from the sentence; it is still going to be there. But it has to have correct punctuation.
Hope this helps.
Margie
Finally, I have found somewhere that confirms exactly the way I would punctuate “like” when it is used as a throwaway word. Not much else on the internet that addresses it for verbatim transcription. Unfortunately, and sadly, there are all too many speakers that can’t form a proper, complete sentence and even more that can’t form a sentence without overdosing it with the word “like” when it has no added value.
Author
So very true, Judy. We have far too many people today who have no clue about the language. The lack of anything resembling grammar classes in schools is just sad.
You have a lovely day.
Margie
And then I have a depo like this and I need reassurance when everything just starts to look wrong because my test of pulling the like out and the sentence still making perfect sense no longer works well.
BTW – I know it should be doesn’t but my witness doesn’t!
And he’s, like, I don’t know what happened.
And I’m, like, this don’t make sense.
Author
Most of the authorities are showing “He’s like” and “I’m like” without the comma as lead-in words to quoted material.
Hope this helps.
Margie
What about when using like to mean such as? Does it then follow the essential/nonessential rules?
Author
Chantal,
When “like” is used to mean “such as,” the punctuation follows essential/nonessential.
Take care.
Margie