look 是系动词，其表语多为形容词。接名词时，look后多用介词like。但作为系动词，它也可以直接跟名词作表语。例如：

1. It looked a big dish, but it was almost knocked off in no time.  

看起来是一大盘菜, 但几乎一下子就扫光了。

来自《简明英汉词典》

2. He looked a forlorn figure as he limped off after 26 minutes.  

26分钟之后他一瘸一拐地走出来，显得孤单凄凉。

来自柯林斯例句

3. She needn't worry that he'll think she looks a mess. He won't notice.  

她不必担心自己在他眼里显得不修边幅,他根本不会注意。

来自柯林斯例句

4. This looks a likely field for mushrooms.  

这地看来适合长蘑菇。

来自辞典例句

5. He looks a real Charlie in that hat.  

他戴那顶帽子看起来真像个傻瓜。

来自辞典例句

6. Ward is not the most consistent of players, but when he is on song he looks a world-beater.  

沃德并不是发挥最稳定的球员，可是一旦进入状态，他似乎就是天下无敌的王者。

来自柯林斯例句

网友的句子 Whitman looked (like) the poet he was. 加不加like 都对。但稍有区别，有了like 增加了“像的程度”，说明“不是”的程度更大。