If someone is unsure about the difference between like and would like, thatโs quite natural.
Like and Would Like are exceptionally similar English words that can be used to express a preference or what you hope for, however, Like and Would Like are extraordinarily different too.
Key Takeaways
- โLikeโ expresses a general preference or fondness for something, while โwould likeโ conveys a specific desire or request.
- โLikeโ is a verb, whereas โwould likeโ is a modal verb phrase.
- โWould likeโ is considered more polite than โlikeโ when making requests or expressing preferences.
Like vs Would Like
โLikeโ refers to a general positive feeling towards something or someone, for example, โI like pizzaโ means that the speaker has a general positive feeling towards pizza. โWould likeโ expresses a preference for something, for example, โI would like pizzaโ means that the speaker wants pizza at the moment.
Like when a verb is well-known to provide pleasure or satisfaction, the expression to be liked by is also used to indicate what persons, things, or characteristics a person prefers.
For instance, she likes everyone in her class, I wouldnโt say I like the color green, and I like your idea.
Would like is a verb which means to want or desire something. However, when used as a verb, โWould Likeโ indicates a desire for something soon.
For instance, Please join us for dinner tomorrow night, I would like to have a new house by next summer, and Would you like to meet tomorrow?
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Like | Would Like |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Like can be used to express a preference. | Would like can be used to talk about what someone wants, or what they hope for. |
| Verb | When used as a verb, like means to give pleasure or satisfaction. | When used as a verb, would like indicates a desire for something shortly. |
| Auxiliary Verb | The verb Like is generally used as an auxiliary verb in questions. | The verb Would Like is not used as an auxiliary verb in questions. |
| Negativity | Like, can be used as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences. | Would Like, cannot be used as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences. |
| Illustration | He likes his teacher, I like my pizza spicy, and what do you like about that? | That would be fun. You should go, would you like some help? and would you like to have dinner with me tonight? |
What is Like?
The verb Like is generally used as an auxiliary verb in questions to mean โAre you willing to do climbing?โ instead of asking if someone likes something. In these instances, the subject of the question is understood, and it is unnecessary to include it.
Moreover, Like can also be used as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences, meaning โto be unwilling to do climbing,โ with no subject or object.
- I like your dress.
- He likes his best friend.
- What do you like the most about that?
- Would you like to go to the beach?
- She likes almost everyone in her section.
- I donโt like the color maroon.
- Iโm not sure about the book. I donโt like it so far.
- I like my coffee black.
These illustrations show the use of Like as a verb, where it states likes for things and opinions about something. In this instance, if you said, โI like his singing voice,โ it wouldnโt mean want or desire.
Instead, it would be talking about an opinion or a preference; in this case, the speaker likes his singing. However, it shows that the speaker likes the person singing, not their voice.
What is Would Like?
Would Like often comes from the phrase would you like and is asked politely before offering a gift or service, whereas Would Like is a verb which means to want, desire something, or something closer to what a person has. For instance:
- Would you like to watch a movie with me tonight?
- I would like to have a new car by next summer.
- That would be fun. You should go.
- I would like to hear him sing live on Singerโs Live.
- I want to keep it as a surprise.
These illustrations are where Would Like is used as a verb and states that the person in question would like to hear or do something happen.
Moreover, if someone were to say, โWould you like some help?โ they are asking if the person wants them to help them set up something. If a person were then to respond with โI would like that,โ they are confirming that they want help setting up.
The use of would you like? Or would you like to help? It is preferred in formal writing but Would Like, or I Would Like to help are often found in spoken or informal usage.
Main Differences Between Like and Would Like
- The like can be used to express a preference, whereas, Would like can be used to talk about what someone wants or what they hope for.
- When used as a verb, like means to give pleasure or satisfaction, whereas, when used as a verb, would like indicates a desire for something shortly.
- The verb Like is generally used as an auxiliary verb in questions, whereas the verb Would Like is not used as an auxiliary verb in questions.
- Like, can be used as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences, whereas, Would Like cannot be used as an auxiliary verb in negative sentences.
- He likes his teacher. I like my pizza spicy, and what do you like about that? , whereas that would be fun. You should go, would you like some help? And would you like to have dinner with me tonight?
References
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1046/j.1525-1497.2003.20826.x
- https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1191/0265659006ct299oa
- https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02579174
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
