Page 187 - Advanced English Grammar in Use

w i t n
a s . . . a s ;
a a j e c n v e s
LOMpParlSOn
u o m p a n s o n WITN aQJECTIVES wy. aS...aS;
(zy.
s o . . . a s t o , e t c .
etc.
$0...aS to,
As...as
As...as
or
as with
use as...
adjective
an
adverb
something
say that
or someone
like
is
in
between to
We use as ... as with an adjective or adverb in between to say that something or someone is like
We
or that one situation
like another:
else,
is
something or someone else, or that one situation is like another:
something or someone
Was the film as funny as his last one?
• ¢ Was the film as funny as his last one?
Andrew came round to my
flat as quickly as he could.
• ¢ Andrew came round to my flat as quickly as he could.
use
In
either
as
not
or not so.
speech
of sentences
forms
and
formal
like this can
Negative forms of sentences like this can use either not as or not so. In formal speech and
Negative
use
is more common to
less than:
writing
writing it it is more common to use less than:
The gap between the sides is not as wide as it was.
(or ...is less wide than it was.)
• ¢ The gap between the sides is not as wide as it was. (or ...is less wide than it was.)
(or ...but less common than last
but not so common as last summer,
The bees are plentiful,
• ¢ The bees are plentiful, but not so common as last summer. (or ...but less common than last
summer.) )
summer.
Some people find cooking easy, but others are not as/so fortunate
(as these).
• ¢ Some people find cooking easy, but others are not as/so fortunate (as these).
We use not rather than not as in a number of common expressions. For example: I'm not so
We use not so so rather than not as in a number of common expressions. For example: I'm not so
(= not
is) not so bad; Not so loud!
(= be more quiet); He's not so good
(= the situation
sure; It's (= the situation is) not so bad; Not so loud! (= be more quiet); He's not so good (= not
sure; It's
very well).
very well).
D If you put a countable noun between the adjective and the second as, you should use a/an in
If you put a countable noun between the adjective and the second as, you should use a/an in
is
singular):
(if the noun
front of the noun (if the noun is singular):
front of the noun
Despite his disability, he tried to lead as normal a life as possible.
n • ¢ Despite his disability, he tried to lead as normal a life as possible.
She was as patient a teacher as anyone could have had.
• ¢ • « She was as patient a teacher as anyone could have had.
The negative form of sentences like this can use either not as or sometimes not such:
The negative form of sentences like this can use either not as or sometimes not such:
He's not as good a player as he used to be.
• ¢ He's not as good a player as he used to be.
He's not such a good player as he used to be. (Notice the different word order.)
• ¢ He's not such a good player as he used to be. (Notice the different word order.)
(We don't use not as with plural nouns.)
They're not such terrible children as we'd expected.
• ¢ They're not such terrible children as we'd expected. (We don't use not as with plural nouns.)
We can use how, so and too followed by an adjective in a similar way:
We can use how, so and too followed by an adjective in a similar way:
How significant a role did he play in your life?
• ¢ How significant a role did he play in your life?
It's not quite so straightforward a problem as it might at first seem.
• ¢ It's not quite so straightforward a problem as it might at first seem.
'Conspiracy' is perhaps too strong a word.
• ¢ 'Conspiracy' is perhaps too strong a word.
How big a piece do you want?
• ¢ How big a piece do you want?
as...as is also used in sentences with much and many to talk about quantities (see Unit 64):
as...as is also used in sentences with much and many to talk about quantities (see Unit 64):
She earns at least as much as Mark, and probably more.
• ¢ She earns at least as much as Mark, and probably more.
London has twice as many banks as the rest of south-east England.
• ¢ London has twice as many banks as the rest of south-east England.
use as much/many as or as little/few as
(see Unit 68) to
say that a quantity or amount is
We also
We also use as much/many as or as little/few as (see Unit 68) to say that a quantity or amount is
or
are
Many and
used
few are
expected.
much and
before
little
smaller than
numbers;
larger
larger or smaller than expected. Many and few are used before numbers; much and little are
such as $5 and 20%, and distances such as 3 metres:
used with amounts
used with amounts such as $5 and 20%, and distances such as 3 metres:
There is a small number involved, possibly as few as a hundred,
• « There is a small number involved, possibly as few as a hundred. (not ...as little as...)
a @ So...that; so...as by as much as 300 per cent. (not ...as little as...)
Prices have increased
We can use so followed by an adjective or an adverb and a that-clause in sentences such as: even
• Prices have increased by as much as 300 per cent.
• ¢
So...that;so...asto to
a
that-clause in sentences such as:
adjective or an
adverb and
We can use so followed by an
The recipe was so simple that even I could cook it.
(= because the recipe was so simple,
• ¢ The recipe was so simple that even I could cook it. (= because the recipe was so simple, even
I could cook it) it)
I could cook
He was walking so slowly that before too long we caught him up.
(=
because he was
• ¢ He was walking so slowly that before too long we caught him up. (= because he was
walking so slowly...)
walking so slowly...)
use so
followed by an adjective and as to with
a similar meaning:
Less commonly we
Less commonly we use so followed by an adjective and as to with a similar meaning:
The
(= because the difference was
difference was so small as to not be worth arguing about.
• ¢ The difference was so small as to not be worth arguing about. (= because the difference was
so small, it wasn't worth arguing about)
so small, it wasn't worth arguing about)
Comparison with adjectives (1) => IIDIIIM
(1)
=>
Comparson FIINET!
wih
adedives