What It Looks Like vs How It Looks: What’s the Difference?

Quick Answer: “What it looks like” asks for a description of someone’s or something’s appearance, while “how it looks” asks about its overall appearance, condition, or impression. Both expressions are grammatically correct, but “how it looks like” is incorrect in standard English. Use either “what it looks like” or “how it looks,” depending on your meaning.

What It Looks Like vs How It Looks: The Main Difference

The difference between what it looks like and how it looks depends on the information you want.

• What it looks like: Requests a description of someone’s or something’s appearance.
• How it looks: Requests an impression, assessment, or description of its current visual condition.

Both expressions are correct, but they are not always interchangeable.

Consider these examples:

Example 1:

What does the new house look like?

It has three bedrooms, white walls, a large garden, and a modern kitchen.

This question asks for specific details about the house.

Example 2:

How does the new house look?

It looks beautiful and well-maintained.

This question asks for an overall impression or assessment.

Quick Comparison Table

Expression	Meaning	Typical Answer
What does it look like?	Requests a description	It is large and blue.
How does it look?	Requests an impression or assessment	It looks excellent.
What it looks like	Describes appearance within a sentence	I know what it looks like.
How it looks	Describes appearance or condition within a sentence	I like how it looks.
How does it look like?	Incorrect construction	Use either of the two correct forms.

Remember: “What” commonly introduces a request for descriptive details, while “how” asks about the way something appears or its overall condition.

What Does “What It Looks Like” Mean?

“What it looks like” means the visible appearance or characteristics of a person, place, object, or thing.

You use this expression when you want someone to describe something you cannot see, do not recognize, or want to understand better.

The description may include:

• Color
• Shape
• Size
• Height
• Design
• Physical features
• Style
• Overall appearance

For example:

• I cannot remember what your house looks like.
• Can you describe what the new restaurant looks like?
• She wants to know what the missing dog looks like.
• I have never seen the building, so I wonder what it looks like.
• Tell me what your new phone looks like.

In each example, the speaker wants information about visible characteristics.

What Does It Look Like? Examples

Here are additional examples showing how to use this expression naturally:

Sentence	Expected Information
What does your car look like?	Color, model, and design
What does your bedroom look like?	Furniture, layout, and decoration
What does the dog look like?	Size, color, and breed
What does the new office look like?	Interior design and layout
What does the mountain look like?	Shape, height, and surroundings

You can also use the expression in indirect statements:

• I want to know what the new building looks like.
• Nobody remembers what the old classroom looks like.
• She showed me what her wedding dress looks like.

These sentences are useful when describing appearance in English.

What Does “How It Looks” Mean?

“How it looks” refers to the way something appears, including its overall impression, visual quality, or condition.

It is often used when someone wants an opinion about something they have created, purchased, changed, or presented.

For example:

• I like how the room looks after decorating it.
• She asked me how her new hairstyle looks.
• We need to check how the website looks on mobile devices.
• He was unhappy with how the painting looks.
• Tell me how the new design looks.

Notice that these sentences do not necessarily request a detailed physical description. They focus on the appearance or overall impression.

How Does It Look? Examples

Here are some common examples:

Sentence	Meaning
How does your new haircut look?	Asking for an opinion about the haircut
How does the room look now?	Asking about its current appearance
How does my presentation look?	Asking for an assessment
How does the website look on mobile?	Asking about its visual appearance
How does the finished project look?	Asking about its overall result

An answer can include an adjective, a short opinion, or a more detailed observation.

For example:

Question: How does my new haircut look?

Answer: It looks great! The shorter sides suit you.

The answer provides an impression rather than simply listing physical characteristics.

Why Is “How It Looks Like” Grammatically Incorrect?

“How it looks like” is not a standard English construction because it combines two different question structures.

English uses:

• How + subject + verb: How it looks.
• What + subject + verb + like: What it looks like.

The problem occurs when you combine “how” with “like” in the same structure.

For example:

• Incorrect: How it looks like.
• Correct: What it looks like.
• Correct: How it looks.

Incorrect vs Correct Examples

Incorrect Sentence	Correct Sentence
How does it look like?	What does it look like?
How does she look like?	What does she look like?
How your house looks like?	What your house looks like
Tell me how it looks like.	Tell me what it looks like.
I don’t know how he looks like.	I don’t know what he looks like.
How does your car look like?	What does your car look like?

The easiest way to remember this grammar rule is to avoid combining ‘how’ and ‘like’ when asking about appearance.

What Does She Look Like vs How Does She Look?

Both questions are correct, but they usually communicate different intentions.

What does she look like?

This question asks for a description of someone’s physical appearance.

Example:

• Question: What does she look like?
• Answer: She is tall, has long brown hair, and wears glasses.

How does she look?

This question asks for an impression or assessment of someone’s appearance or current condition.

Example:

• Question: How does she look?
• Answer: She looks beautiful and happy.

Comparison

Question	What You Want to Know
What does she look like?	Her physical characteristics
How does she look?	Her overall appearance or condition
What does he look like?	His physical description
How does he look?	His appearance or current impression

Important: “What does she look like?” is about appearance, not personality. If you want to ask about someone’s personality, character, or general qualities, use “What is she like?”

For example:

• What does she look like? She is tall and has blue eyes.
• What is she like? She is friendly, funny, and hardworking.

Look Like vs Look: Understanding the Grammar Rule

Understanding the difference between “look” and “look like” makes it easier to choose the correct expression.

The verb “look” can describe appearance or condition. The word “like” introduces a comparison or resemblance.

1. Look + Adjective

Use “look” before an adjective to describe how someone or something appears.

Examples:

• You look tired.
• The room looks beautiful.
• This food looks delicious.
• Your new shoes look expensive.
• The weather looks cloudy.

In these sentences, the adjectives describe the appearance or condition.

Look works as a linking verb here, like feel — see Felt vs Feel.

2. Look Like + Noun or Noun Phrase

Use “look like” when comparing someone or something to another person, object, or thing.

Examples:

• She looks like her mother.
• That building looks like a castle.
• This cloud looks like a rabbit.
• Your new car looks like a sports car.
• He looks like a professional athlete.

Here, “like” introduces the comparison.

3. Look Like + Clause

“Look like” can also introduce a clause in expressions that describe what seems likely.

Examples:

• It looks like it is going to rain.
• It looks like we are late.
• It looks like the store is closed.

These examples are also grammatically correct.

Look vs Look Like Comparison

Look	Look Like
She looks happy.	She looks like her sister.
The cake looks delicious.	The cake looks like a flower.
He looks tired.	He looks like a teacher.
The room looks clean.	The room looks like a hotel room.

Cambridge Dictionary lists look as a verb meaning to seem or appear, including the phrase it looks like.

In general, “look” commonly takes an adjective when describing appearance, while “look like” introduces a comparison with another thing or person.

What vs How Questions in English

“What” and “how” are both question words, but they request different types of information.

What usually asks about identity, information, or description.

Examples:

• What is your name?
• What does your house look like?
• What color is your car?
• What does the new building look like?

How usually asks about manner, condition, quality, or the way something happens or appears.

Examples:

• How are you?
• How does your house look?
• How did you complete the project?
• How does the new design look?

When Should You Use What or How?

Use this simple guide:

Situation	Correct Question
Asking for a physical description	What does it look like?
Asking for an opinion	How does it look?
Asking about color	What color is it?
Asking about condition	How does it look?
Asking for a comparison	What does it look like?
Asking about a general visual impression	How does it look?

Question forms with there follow a similar pattern — see Was There or Were There.

For does/do question forms, see Anyone Has or Anyone Have.

The context matters because “how does it look?” can also invite a detailed description of a visible result. The difference is usually one of emphasis rather than an absolute separation between facts and opinions.

What Does Your House Look Like? Understanding Real-Life Usage

Consider a conversation about someone’s new house.

Situation 1: You have never seen the house.

Person A: What does your house look like?

Person B: It is a two-story house with a red roof, white walls, and a large garden.

The question requests a description.

Situation 2: You are looking at the house after renovation.

Person A: How does your house look now?

Person B: It looks fantastic. The new paint and windows make it much more attractive.

The question requests an overall impression of the finished result.

Both expressions are correct because the speakers have different purposes.

Presenting something visible follows its own pattern — see Here Is or Here Are.

What It Looks Like vs What Does It Look Like: Are They Different?

These two expressions are both grammatically correct, but they have different grammatical functions.

What does it look like? is a direct question.

Example:

• What does your new office look like?
• What does the building look like?

What it looks like is commonly used inside a larger sentence as an indirect question or noun clause.

Examples:

• I know what your new office looks like.
• Can you tell me what the building looks like?
• I cannot imagine what it looks like.
• She wants to see what the finished project looks like.

Direct vs Indirect Question

Direct Question	Indirect Question
What does it look like?	I know what it looks like.
What does she look like?	I wonder what she looks like.
What does your house look like?	Tell me what your house looks like.

For more on question word order, see What Happen or What Happened.

Notice that direct questions use “does” before the subject, while indirect questions use normal subject-verb order.

For example:

• Correct: What does it look like?
• Correct: Can you tell me what it looks like?
• Incorrect: Can you tell me what does it look like?

This is another common English grammar mistake worth remembering.

Common English Mistakes With Look Like

English learners sometimes combine different sentence structures when describing appearance.

Here are mistakes to avoid:

Common Mistake	Correct Version
How does it look like?	What does it look like?
How does she look like?	What does she look like?
Tell me how it looks like.	Tell me what it looks like.
I wonder how your car looks like.	I wonder what your car looks like.
How he looks like?	What does he look like?
Can you describe how it looks like?	Can you describe what it looks like?
Can you tell me what does it look like?	Can you tell me what it looks like?

Three Simple Ways to Avoid These Mistakes

1. Use what when you need a description.

Example: What does your new phone look like?

2. Use how when you want to know how something appears.

Example: How does your new phone look?

3. Never combine how and like in this construction.

Remember these two correct expressions:

• What it looks like.
• How it looks.

Following these simple rules will make your English questions clearer and more natural.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is correct: “what it looks like” or “how it looks like”?

“What it looks like” is correct when asking for a description of something. “How it looks like” is not standard English. You can also use “how it looks” when asking about appearance, condition, or overall impression. The correct choice is either “what it looks like” or “how it looks.”

2. Why is “how it looks like” incorrect?

It is incorrect because “how” and “like” belong to two different grammatical constructions in this context. Use “how it looks” without “like,” or use “what it looks like.” Combining the two structures creates a nonstandard expression.

3. What does “what it looks like” mean?

“What it looks like” means the appearance or visible characteristics of something. It can refer to its color, shape, size, design, or physical features. For example, “I want to know what your new house looks like” means you want someone to describe the house.

4. Can I say “how it looks”?

Yes. “How it looks” is grammatically correct. It is commonly used to discuss the overall appearance, condition, or impression of something. For example, “I like how the room looks after decorating it” expresses a positive impression of the room’s appearance.

5. What is the difference between “what it looks like” and “how it looks”?

“What it looks like” generally requests a description, such as color, size, or shape. “How it looks” generally requests an assessment or impression, such as whether something looks good, attractive, or damaged. However, both can overlap depending on the situation.

6. How do I know when to use “what” vs “how” for appearance?

Ask yourself what information you need. If you want someone to describe visible characteristics, use “what does it look like?” If you want their opinion or an assessment of its appearance, use “how does it look?” This simple distinction works in most everyday situations.

7. Is “how does she look like” correct?

No. “How does she look like?” is grammatically incorrect in standard English. The correct question is “What does she look like?” if you want her physical description. If you want an opinion about her appearance, ask “How does she look?”

8. Does “what does it look like” ask for a description or an opinion?

“What does it look like?” primarily asks for a description. The person answering may mention its shape, color, size, or other visible characteristics. For example, “It is a small wooden table with four legs” provides the type of information this question usually requests.

9. Can “how does it look” be used to ask for a description?

Yes. “How does it look?” can ask someone to describe the overall appearance or condition of something. For example, you might ask how a room looks after painting. Although the question often invites an opinion, a descriptive answer is also perfectly natural.

10. What are common mistakes with “look like” in English?

Common mistakes include saying “How does it look like?” instead of “What does it look like?” and using direct-question word order in indirect questions. For example, “Tell me what does it look like” should be “Tell me what it looks like.” Learning these two patterns helps prevent frequent grammar errors.

11. How do you describe what something looks like in English?

Use adjectives and specific visual details. Describe its color, size, shape, material, design, and noticeable features. For example, instead of saying “The house looks nice,” you could say “The house has white walls, a dark roof, large windows, and a beautiful front garden.”

Final Thoughts

Understanding What It Looks Like vs How It Looks is easier when you remember what each expression asks for.

Use “what it looks like” when you want someone to describe visible details. Use “how it looks” when you want to know about appearance, condition, or overall impression. Avoid “how it looks like” because it combines two different grammatical structures.

With these examples and grammar rules, you can use both expressions confidently in everyday conversations, writing, and professional communication.