synonyms - What are the differences between 'like' and 'alike'?




  1. The two boys are alike in looks, but not in personality.

  2. He's like his brother.


These two sentences have been taken from Practical English Usage by Swan. He said that use of alike in second sentence is wrong, but he didn't explain it. Please tell me why only alike is suitable for the first sentence, while like for the second.



Answer



Like can indicate pretty much any degree of similarity.
Alike is used when a high degree of similarity is being described.


Like is used when one person, or one set of persons, or any ONE entity, is being compared to someone or something.


Alike is used when two or more persons or things are being compared to one another.


Thus "is" can never be used with alike: it's always "are."


John and Peter are brothers. John is a lot like Peter. John and Peter are alike.


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