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In this episode: Like and as (como) Pronunciation of can and can’t,
Listener Feedback: WINSTON Feedback: Can and Can’t

Try to focus on the difference in the vowel sounds. It’s often difficult to hear the final /t/ in ‘can’t’.

I can speak English

I can swim

In the negative ‘can’t’, the vowel sound is longer and sounds like the vowel sound in ‘car’ or ‘far’.
Difference in pronunciation:

1. I can’t understand the difference.
2. I can meet for you a beer after work.
3. I can lend you that money you asked for.
4. I can’t have lunch on Saturday.
5. I can understand why he left her.
6. Can you come for lunch tomorrow?
7. John can’t but Michelle can come.

We often stress the word after ‘can’. However, when it’s negative, we tend to stress the word ‘can’t’.

I can come / I can’t come

MAMEN: Use her English to find a job, I have money enough (enough money) to visit friends who have found work in other countries.
Mamen has never really studied English in an academic way, she listens to music and watches movies and TV series.

You can find Luke’s English Podcast at teacherluke.co.uk and also check out Dawayingles.com with David Garcia

Don’t wait until you speak better English – record your voice NOW! Use the Speakpipe record button at inglespodcast.com
Grammar: Like vs. As (Como)
Like (Como)

“Like” = “parecido a” o “lo mismo de“. “She speaks English like a native speaker.” – Ella habla inglés como un nativo.

He swims like a fish.

Like me, my friend Craig is an English teacher.
You can also use ‘like’ to say that something is typical of someone:

It’s so like Reza to be late. – Es tan típico de Reza legar tarde.

It’s just like Craig to forget about the meeting.
TO LOOK LIKE:

Craig looks like my dad. – Me parezco a mi padre.

Craig is like his sister (in character)

It looks like it is going to rain. (Parece que va a llover)

You look like you didn’t sleep well.

We also use “like” before examples of things.

Because of my bad back, the doctor told me not to play competitive sports like tennis, football or rugby.

There are many good things about English food, like roast dinners, cakes and desserts.
As (Como)
“As” means “en la misma manera” o “en la misma condición de“. It’s different from “like” because “as” is followed by a subject and a verb (un sujeto y un verbo).

“Nobody plays the trumpet as Miles Davis did.” (Nadie toco la trumpeta pinta como Miles Davis lo hizo.)

“Reza gave a wonderful lesson yesterday, as he always does.”

“Nobody plays the trumpet like Miles Davis.” (sin verbo/verbo auxiliar)

“as” + un sujeto y un verbo – as Miles Davis did

verbo + “like” + sustantivo/pronombre – He swims like a fish.

We spoke about clauses in episode 35 and episode 36

“as” with comparatives

Craig’s as poor as Reza.

I’m not as young as I used to be. – Yo no soy tan joven como era

He’s as poor as I am.

He’s as happy as I am.

You can also use ‘such as’ before examples (the same as ‘like’):

Because of my bad back, the doctor told me not to play competitive sports SUCH AS tennis, football or rugby.

There are many good things about English food, SUCH AS roast dinners, cakes and desserts.
When AS is used as a preposition, it can describe a profession, job or role:

“I started working as a teacher 20 years ago.” (not Xlike a teacherX)

I use an old piece of wood AS a chopping board.

“I used to work as a farmer.”

Working AS a teacher is LIKE being an actor.

Compare these two sentences:

“As your teacher, I suggest you study more.”
“Like your teacher, I suggest you study more.”
AS can also be used in some fixed expressions:

“AS I SAID, the best way to improve your English is to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes.”

“AS YOU KNOW, Aprender Inglés con Reza y Craig is one of the best podcasts for learning English on the Internet.”

“AS EXPECTED, our podcast has now passed 5,000 downloads per episode.”

“AS WE REQUESTED, I’m happy to say that many listeners have been writing reviews about this podcast on iTunes,
Vocabulary: After and Afterwards

What’s the difference? (A question from Miguel)

After as a preposition and conjunction

After means ‘later than’ and ‘next in time or place’.

After can be used before a noun phrase (as a preposition):

“Do you fancy a beer after work?”

“The supermarket is just after the bank, on the right.”

After can introduce a clause (as a conjunction):

“After I gave her my phone number, she sent me a text straight away.”

She did voluntary work in a hospital after she graduated.

¡OJO! – We use the present simple following after when talking about the future:

“I’ll phone you after I get to the station.”

After or afterwards as an adverb

We can use after as an adverb, but afterwards is more common. When after is used, it is usually as part of an adverb phrase:

They lived happily ever after. (means ‘for ever’ – felices como perdices)

He had an operation on his leg and afterwards was unable to play football for three months.
First I did a teaching course in London. Then I taught in English a college in the UK.

After I did a teaching course in London, I taught English in a college in the UK.

I taught in a college in the UK after I did a teaching course in London.

I did a teaching course in London. Afterwards, I taught English in a college in the UK.

I did a teaching course in London, and afterwards I taught English in a college in the UK.
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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’