grammaticality - "How does it look?"


Formally, in my English education, I have learned to ask for the outward appearance of something using the expression:



"What does it look like?"



Since my mother tongue is German and we say "Wie sieht es aus?", I frequently catch myself saying:



"How does it look?"



which would be the direct translation from German.


Since I think the translation does not sound wrong (I am certainly biased though) I would like to ask you if this is correct English in at least some cases or just a mistake of mine?


Thanks!



Answer



In English, “How does it look?” generally asks for a value judgment, whereas “What does it look like?” asks for a physical description.



How does this dress look?
It suits you well.


How does this dog look?
It looks healthy.



versus:



What does this dress look like?
It has a high waist and a short skirt.


What does this dog look like?
It's black with a white muzzle and socks.



The questions have more overlap when discussing more abstract subjects:



How does your week look?
I'm very busy.


What does your week look like?
I'm free on Tuesday and Thursday.



In this case, the answers would still be reasonable with the questions reversed.


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