fozzzy wrote:
Can you have a sentence with like + that clause or its grammatically incorrect? But Like can be used in the following example
Unlike those in tennis, ping pong players have smaller rackets.
Unlike those in tennis, ping pong players have smaller rackets.
Nice question!
"like" is used to compare nouns, and the correct usage is "like + noun". (General rule)
I tried to find some official examples, but there is only one with "like that":
According to a recent poll, owning and living in a freestanding house on its own land is still a goal of a majority of young adults, like that of earlier generations.
(A) like that of earlier generations
(B) as that for earlier generations
(C) just as earlier generations did
(D) as have earlier generations
(E) as it was of earlier generations
The OA is E
The official explanation is for A "Phrase, without subject and verb, is not parallel to the main clause." As you see there is no mention of the usage of "like that", and the sentence is wrong because it's not parallel.
So my conclusion is: it seems that the construct is accepted by the GMAT.
However "like that" is very rare, I struggled to find an example. So I suggest you to stick to the normal usage of like -refer here- as your construct is very rare (just one example in the whole GMAT world)
Hope this helps