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Consider this sentence: “His work for Blair and Claire showcases traditional arts like weaving.”

Does this imply that both his work for Blair showcases traditional arts and his work for Claire showcases traditional arts and at least some of it (for either client) is weaving? Yes, right?

Does this imply that both his work for Blair showcases weaving and his work for Claire showcases weaving? No, right?

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First, it's an inherently ambiguous sentence: we don't know whether B and C are one client (as in: partners) or two clients. If you wanna stress that B and C are not a unit, then it might be better to rewrite the sentence. His work for both B and C... would be a place to start.

As for weaving, it's not necessarily, included at all with the use of like, which can mean similar to. So his work could be showcasing something similar to weaving (not not weaving itself).

But, according to an established usage, if you use such as, preferably such traditional arts as weaving, then weaving is included.

Not everyone agrees with this distinction, follows it, or is even aware of it; but some tests such as the GMAT do. See GMAT Grammar

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  • Thanks! So if I have "His work for both Blair and Claire showcases traditional arts such as weaving", is it OK and correct if he wove something for Blair but not for Claire, so long as his work for Claire showcased some other 'traditional art' (whatever that means)?
    – Toph
    Commented Apr 29, 2016 at 15:22

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