as…as, not as…as
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Language
We use as + adjective / adverb + as to make comparisons when the things we are comparing are equal in some way. G11
1 Discussing Genres Read the statements and voice your opinion. Do you agree? Disagree? Why? Why not? A well – written biography is as rare as a well - lived life - Thomas Carlyle Every following book of Harry Potter is as exciting as the previous one. Reading fantasy is as fascinating as entering a new reality. The most recent fables are not as clear as the old ones. Reading a popular book is as exciting as meeting with a famous book author. Love for mystery is as infectious as a flu. The story of Romeo and Juliet is as heartbreaking as in The Titanic. Biography books are as encouraging as autobiographies. Reading a textbook is not so time consuming as writing.
2 ASAP – as soon as possible Read the sentences, underline the phrases with as …as +possibility. 1. Reading this book, I tried to learn As … as + possibility as many facts as I could. We often use expressions of possibility 2. She was as passionate as she could or ability after as … as: about literature. Can you come as soon as possible? 3. Trying to cheer her mom up, he Go to as many places as you can. read as much as he could. We got here as fast as we could. G11 4. I visited our school library as often as possible. 5. Try to read as fast as possible but also make sure you understand what you are reading.
3 As much, as many The quantity adjective (much or many) depends if the noun in the comparison is countable or uncountable. Complete the sentences with much or many. 1. When I think of myself now, it’s hard to believe I read as ……… books as my friend. 2. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was translated into as …… languages as Harry Potter. 3. The Alchemist had as …….. success as The Da Vinci Code did. 4. Reading non-fiction story requires as ……… patience as science fiction does. 5. Read as …….. chapters of the book as you can. 6. My understanding of The Butterfly is Patient was just as ……as any young girl who reads non-fiction.
When we want to make comparisons referring to quantity, we use as much as with uncountable nouns and as many as with plural nouns: Greg makes as much money as Mick but not as much as Neil. There weren’t as many people there as I expected. G11
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