COMPARATIVE WITH AS… AS AND NOT AS

The structure as…as is used to compare things that are of similar proportion.

In this case the first as acts as an adverb modifying the adjective or adverb that goes after it. The second as can act as a preposition or conjunction. If it is used as a preposition, it will be followed by a noun or pronoun. If it is used as a conjunction, it will be followed by a clause.

When we use adjective + noun after the first as, the article should go before the noun.

In negative constructions, we can use not so…as…

She is not so successful as her brother. OR She is not as successful as her brother.

In a more formal style, we use a structure with less than.

She is less successful than her brother.

In English, we use a large number of idiomatic expressions with as…as.

Common examples are given below.

Her hands were as cold as ice.

She is as hard as nails. She will do really well in business.

Remember that the structure as…as cannot be used to measure things of unequal proportion. In this case, we have to use comparative + than.

She is taller than her brother.

We use (not) as ... as ... to express that something is or is not as ... as ... They are called equality comparisons. Let's see the rules of use, we must be careful if we use an adjective or a noun:

Grammatical form

·         Affirmative

Subject + verb to be + as + adjetive + as + complement

·         Negative

Subject + verb to be + not as + adjetive + as + complement

Examples

·         The world’s biggest bull is as big as a small elephant.

·         The weather this summer is as bad as last year. It hasn’t stopped raining for weeks.

·         You have to unwrap it as carefully as you can. It’s quite fragile.

·         He is as cunning as a fox

·         You can eat as much as you want.

·         She is as tall as her brother.

·         He is as good a cook as his wife is!

·         Her hands were as cold as ice.

·         She is as hard as nails. She will do really well in business.

·         I didn’t dare to go down to the cellar. It was as black as nightdown there.

·         She is as deaf as a post.

·         Please get here as soon as possible.

·         I’m doesn´t have as much money as Robbin (uncountable)
I don´t have as many books as Ann does. (countable)

·         It's not as easy a decision as that. 

·         It's not as easy as that.

con un verbo:  as + verbo + as

·                     I don’t eat as much as you. - No como tanto como tu.

con un adjectivo:  as + adjetivo + as    

·                     Mary is as tall as Jane. - Mary es tan alto como Jane.

·                     New York is not as old as London. - Nueva York no es tan vieja como Londres.

con un adverbio: as + adverbio + as

·                     He writes as carefully as the others. -  El escribe tanto cuidado como los demás.

·                     He doesn't drive as slowly as me. - El no conduce tan lentamente / despacio como yo

as + many + (sustantivo contable) +as     

·                     There are as many people in this restaurant as the other. - Hay tanta gente en este restaurante como la otra.

·                     You don't have as many friends as me. - No tienes tantos amigos como yo.

as many as y not as many as

Mary doesn’t have as many friends as Peter. - María no tiene tantos amigos como Pedro.

as much as y not as much as

·                     I talk as much as you. - Hablo tanto como tu.

·                     I don’t have as much money as you. - No tengo tanto dinero como tu.

·                     I like to read / reading as much as watching TV. - A mi me gusta leer tanto como ver la TV.

Exercise

Fill in the comparison with as ... as.

1.    John is as tall as Glen.

2.    Janet is as beautiful as Jeniffer.

3.    You are as crazy as my sister.

4.    We can run as fast as they can.

5.    My mom is not as strict as your mum.

6.    Your mobile phone is not as trendy as mine.

7.    Matrix II was not as interesting as Matrix I.

8.    This yoghurt does not taste as good as the one I bought yesterday.

9.    I can do as many press-ups as you.

10. I do not earn as much money as you do.