Like, how do I use the word "like"?

When to remove "like":

“Like” should be left out only when used as a filler word. (E.g. “That’s, like, so great.”)

When to include "like":

When used as a...

• preposition: She's been like a mother to me
• noun: My likes and dislikes
• conjunction: It looks like it will rain

Also retain "like" when used colloquially in place of "said." This is informally known as the quotative like:

He was like, "I need to see a doctor."

A variation of the quotative like in African American English (AAE) is "be like," as in: She be like, "No, I don't want to go."