Comparison Using Positive Adjectives And Adverbs

Positive adjectives and adverbs can be used for comparing. Several different grammatical structures are possible.

As … as …

This structure is used to say that people, things, actions or events are equal in a particular way.

  • A car is as fast as a bus.
  • Alice is as beautiful as Mary.
  • Tom is as tall as Harry.

If we want to say that people, things etc are unequal in a particular way, we can use not so … as … or not as … as …

  • Tom is not as/so tall as Harry.
  • A car is not as/so fast as a train.
  • Alice is not as/so beautiful as Susie.

No other as … as …

This structure can be used to compare one person or thing with the whole group that she/he/it belongs to.

  • No other girl is as intelligent as Alice.
  • No other metal is as useful as iron.
  • No other river is as long as the Niles.

As much/many … as …/as few/little … as…

This structure is used to make a comparison of quantity.

  • I earn as much money as you.
  • Alice has as many children as Mary.
  • Tom earns as much as Harry.
  • We have as many cars as them.
  • They have as few visitors as we have.
  • They have as little money as we have.

In an informal style, we use object pronouns (us, them, him etc.) after as. In a more formal style, subject pronouns are used usually with verbs.

  • I earn as much money as he does.
  • We have as many children as they have.

Not as much/many … as …

This structure can be used to say that quantities are not equal in a particular way.

  • He does not earn as much as I do.
  • Harry does not eat as much food as Tom does.
  • We do not have as many visitors as them.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I am Manjusha. This is my blog where I give English grammar lessons and worksheets.

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