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Unit 107 · Adjectives and adverbs

Comparative 3 (as ... as / than)

Study

A

Sarah, Joe and David are all very rich. Sarah has $20 million, Joe has $15 million and David has $10 million. So:

Joe is rich.

›

He is richer than David.

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But he isn't as rich as Sarah. (= Sarah is richer than he is)

Some more examples of not as … (as):

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Jack isn't as old as he looks. (= he looks older than he is)

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The town centre wasn't as crowded as usual. (= it is usually more crowded)

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Lisa didn't do as well in the exam as she had hoped. (= she had hoped to do better)

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The weather is better today. It's not as cold. (= yesterday was colder than today)

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I don't know as many people as you do. (= you know more people than me)

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'How much was it? Fifty dollars?' 'No, not as much as that.' (= less than fifty dollars)

You can also say not so … (as):

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It's not warm, but it's not so cold as yesterday. (= it's not as cold as …)

Less than is similar to not as … as:

›

I spent less money than you. (= I didn't spend as much money as you)

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The city centre was less crowded than usual. (= it wasn't as crowded as usual)

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I play tennis less than I used to. (= I don't play as much as I used to)

B

We also use as … as (but not so … as) in positive sentences and in questions:

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I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as fast as I could.

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There's plenty of food. You can have as much as you want.

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Can you send me the information as soon as possible, please?

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Let's walk. It's just as quick as taking the bus.

also twice as … as, three times as … as etc.:

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Petrol is twice as expensive as it was a few years ago.

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Their house is about three times as big as ours. (or … three times the size of ours)

C

We say the same as (not the same like):

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Laura's salary is the same as mine. or Laura gets the same salary as me.

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David is the same age as James.

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Sarah hasn't changed. She still looks the same as she did ten years ago.

D

than me / than I am etc.

You can say:

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You're taller than me. or You're taller than I am.

(not usually You're taller than I)

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He's not as clever as her. or He's not as clever as she is.

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They have more money than us. or They have more money than we have.

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I can't run as fast as him. or I can't run as fast as he can.

Exercises (5)

0/5 exercises checked
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107.1

Complete the sentences using as … as.

  1. 1
    I'm tall, but you are taller. I'm not as tall as you. example
  2. 2
    My salary is high, but yours is higher. My salary isn't .
  3. 3
    You know a bit about cars, but I know more. You don't .
  4. 4
    We are busy today, but we were busier yesterday. We aren't .
  5. 5
    I still feel bad, but I felt a lot worse earlier. I don't .
  6. 6
    Our neighbours have lived here for quite a long time, but we've lived here longer. Our neighbours haven't .
  7. 7
    I was a little nervous before the interview, but usually I'm a lot more nervous. I wasn't .
107.2

Write a new sentence with the same meaning.

  1. 1
    Jack is younger than he looks. Jack isn't as old as he looks. example
  2. 2
    I didn't spend as much money as you. You spent more money than me. example
  3. 3
    The station was nearer than I thought. The station wasn't .
  4. 4
    The meal didn't cost as much as I expected. The meal cost .
  5. 5
    I watch TV less than I used to. I don't .
  6. 6
    Karen's hair isn't as long as it used to be. Karen used to .
  7. 7
    I know them better than you do. You don't .
  8. 8
    There are fewer students in this class than in the other one. There aren't .
107.3

Complete the sentences using as … as. Choose from: fast hard long often quietly soon well

fasthardlongoftenquietlysoonwell
  1. 1
    I'm sorry I'm late. I got here as fast as I could. example
  2. 2
    It was a difficult question. I answered it I could.
  3. 3
    'How long can I stay with you?' 'You can stay you like.'
  4. 4
    I need the information quickly, so let me know possible.
  5. 5
    I like to keep fit, so I go swimming I can.
  6. 6
    I didn't want to wake anybody, so I came in I could.
  7. 7
    You always say how tiring your job is, but I work just you.
107.4

Write sentences using the same as.

  1. 1
    David and James are both 22 years old. David is the same age as James. example
  2. 2
    You and I both have dark brown hair. Your hair mine.
  3. 3
    I arrived at 10.25 and so did you. I arrived you.
  4. 4
    My birthday is 5 April. It's Tom's birthday too. My birthday Tom's.
107.5

Complete the sentences. Choose from: as him is less me much soon than twice

ashimislessmemuchsoonthantwice
  1. 1
    I'll let you know as soon as I have any more news. example
  2. 2
    My friends arrived earlier I expected.
  3. 3
    I live in the same street Katherine. We're neighbours.
  4. 4
    He doesn't know much. I know more than .
  5. 5
    This morning there was traffic than usual.
  6. 6
    I don't watch TV as as I used to.
  7. 7
    Your bag is quite light. Mine is as heavy as yours.
  8. 8
    We were born in the same year. I'm a little older than she .
  9. 9
    I was really surprised. Nobody was more surprised than .