How is that? vs What is that like?

[Nathan Mckane]

Hello dear teachers!
Is there any difference between these two sentences?

How is that city?

What is that city like?

Thanks.

 

[emsr2d2]

Hello dear teachers!
Is there any difference between these two sentences?

How is that city?

What is that city like?

Thanks.

The difference is: we don't say "How is that city?"

When you are asking for a description of something, we use "What is ... like?", whether it's a person, an animal, a place or a thing.

"How" is used for finding out a state - "How are you?" for example, or for the method of doing something - "How do they build aeroplanes?"

There are a few phrases where "How?" and "What...like?" can have similar meanings:

How is your food? (Is it a good meal? Is it tasty? Are you enjoying it?)
How was your holiday? (Did you have a good time?)

However, if you said to me "How is your food?" I'd probably simply say "Delicious", "Terrible" etc. If you said "What is your food like?" I'd probably elaborate "It's OK. It's a bit too salty and it's not as good as the food my mum cooks!"

 

[Tdol]

You could ask 'How's + name of city' in some contexts- for instance, you're friend's visiting New York, you ring them up and ask 'How's New York?', which is similar to the 'How's your food' question as it's asking their opinions about the city they are experiencing, rather than a general description of New York. ;-)