What is … like? asks someone to describe a person, place, weather or experience. What's your boss like? means “What kind of person is your boss?”. Like here isn't the verb meaning “enjoy”; it means “similar to”, so the question literally asks “what does it resemble?”.
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What is/was + noun + like?; What's it like + to-verb/-ing?; What does + person + look like?
- What's your new boss like? Is she strict or easy-going?
- What was the weather like in Rome last week?
- What's it like to work from home every day?
What changed
First versionHow is the food like in your new canteen?
RevisionWhat is the food like in your new canteen?
How is the food? is a perfectly normal question, so how slips in. But in a question with like, the question word is what: What is the food like? How doesn't combine with like in this kind of question. Without like, how is fine: How is the food?
Three similar questions ask about different things. What is he like? asks about his character. What does he look like? asks about his appearance. What does he like? asks what he enjoys: He likes jazz and long walks.
Your turn
— What ___ your new manager like? — Very calm, and she always listens.
Show the answer
is — The answer describes her character, so the question was “what kind of person is she?”: What is your new manager like? With does, you'd get What does your new manager like?, a question about what she enjoys, and “very calm, and she always listens” doesn't answer it.
Write a short dialogue: a friend asks about a city you visited recently, and you answer. Describe the weather and the people in your answer.
— What was Lisbon like? — Sunny and hilly, and the people were really friendly.
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