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Is it correct to say the following?

In our work, we use a hammer to strike nails, like is usually done.

The intended meaning would be the same as in the following sentence:

In our work, we use a hammer to strike nails, as is usually done.

I think this second sentence is correct (also when replacing "usually" with another adverb, or even without an adverb), but what about the first sentence? Looking online, I see some usage for "like is usually done", but far less than for "as is usually done", so I'm not sure whether they are both correct or not.

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    That would be grammatically correct, but not idiomatic. See the ngram.
    – Davo
    Commented May 19, 2017 at 16:40
  • Both sound fine to me (native AmE speaker), but 'as is done' sounds formal and 'like is done' sounds a little more informal. If I were writing I'd use 'as' but speaking I use 'like'.
    – Mitch
    Commented May 19, 2017 at 19:17
  • "as is usual" would be enough.
    – Xanne
    Commented May 19, 2017 at 22:34

2 Answers 2

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That would be grammatically correct, but not idiomatic.

The phrase "as is usually done" is used much more often. See the ngram.

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"In our work, we use a hammer to strike nails, like is usually done."

I'd say that it should be : " In our work, we use a hammer to strike nails, like it's usually done.

"In our work, we use a hammer to strike nails, as is usually done."

   In our work sounds pedantic, why not at work?

Next part is: "like it's usually done"

Why not: the way it's usually done" sounds more precise to me.

BTW, some British people are really using words at Thai schools that they should only use in their daily speech with each other.

"I done it." "He done it" etc..the problem is that these guys are "agency teachers who should in no way teach kids wrong English.

Spoken and written English is different, but we should at least keep it formal in writing.

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