That sounds like fun

Open Forum in English
1

That sounds like fun.
If I don’t use ‘like’ in this sentence (that sounds fun), does it still make sense?
Thank you.

2

Yes, it still makes sense. I think there’s probably a subtle difference. You might say, ‘That sounds like fun’ for something you’ve never done before. So if someone asks if you want to go ice skating and you don’t actually know if ice skating is fun because you’ve never done it, you might say, ‘That sounds like fun.’ But if someone asks you if you want to go out to a bar with a group of friends, you might just say, ‘That sounds fun,’ because you’re more confident that it will be fun. But maybe I’m overthinking this. The two seem pretty interchangeable.

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3

Yes probably a subtle usage difference. From a grammar standpoint I think the part of speech of “fun” is different. In “That sounds like fun” it must be a noun.

Compare:
That sounds crazy/boring/great (OK)
That sounds like crazy/boring/great (wrong)

I’m having trouble thinking of another sentence that works like “That sounds like fun.” “That sounds like torture” maybe.

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4

So I can use both, “that sounds like fun” and “that sounds fun” because “fun” can be a noun and an adjective, right?!

5

Yes they’re both right.

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