UNIT 106 Comparison (3)--as ... as/than

A. Study this example situation:

Shirley, Henry and Arthur are all millionaires. They are all very rich.

Shirley has 10 million pounds, Henry has 8 million pounds and Arthur has 2 million pounds. So:

Henry is rich.

He is richer than Arthur.

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

Some more examples of not as ... (as):

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

* The city centre wasn't as crowded this morning as it usually is. (= it is usually more crowded)

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

* 'The weather is better today, isn't it?' 'Yes, it's not as cold.' (= yesterday was colder)

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

You can also say 'not so. (as)':

* It's not warm but it isn't so cold as yesterday. (= ... it isn't as cold as ...)

Less ... (than) is similar to not as ... (as):

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

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

B. You can use as ... as (but not 'so ... as') in positive sentences and in questions:

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

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

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

* Can you send me the money as soon as possible, please?

Also: twice as ... as, three times as ... as etc.:

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

* Their house is about three times as big as ours.

C. We say the same as (not 'the same like'):

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

* Tom is the same age as George.

* 'What would you like to drink?' 'I'll have the same as you.'

D. Than me/than I am etc.

We usually say:

* You are taller than me. (not 'than I')

* He is not as clever as her. (not 'as she')

After than/as it is more usual to say me/him/her/them/us when there is no verb. Compare:

* You are taller than I am. but You are taller than me.

* They have more money than we have. but They have more money than us.

* I can't run as fast as he can. but I can't run as fast as him.

@p213

EXERCISES

106.1 Complete the sentences using as ... as.

1. I'm quite tall but you are taller. I'm not _as tell as you._

2. My salary is high but yours is higher. My salary isn't ---.

3. You know a bit about cars but I know more. You don't ---.

4. It's still cold but it was colder yesterday. It isn't ---.

5. I still feel a bit tired but I felt a lot more tired yesterday.

I don't ---.

6. They've lived here for quite a long time but we've lived here longer.

They haven't ---.

7. I was a bit nervous before the interview but usually I'm a lot more nervous.

I wasn't ---.

106.2 Rewrite these sentences so that they have the same meaning.

1. Jack is younger than he looks. Jack isn't _as old as he looks._

2. 1 didn't spend as much money as you. You _spent more money than me._

3. The station was nearer than I thought. The station wasn't ---.

4. The meal didn't cost as much as I expected. The meal ---.

5. I go out less than I used to. I don't ---.

6. Her hair isn't as long as it used to be. She used to ---.

7. 1 know them better than you do. You don't ---.

8. There were fewer people at this meeting than at the last one.

There weren't ---.

106.3 Complete the sentences using as ... as. Choose one of the following:

bad, comfortable, fast, long, often, quietly, soon, well, well-qualified,

1. I'm sorry I'm a bit late. I got here _as fast as_ I could.

2. It was a difficult question. I answered it --- I could.

3. 'How long can I stay with you?' 'You can stay --- you like.'

4. I need the information quickly, so please let me know --- possible.

5. I like to keep fit, so I go swimming --- I can.

6. I didn't want to wake anybody, so I came in --- I could.

In the following sentences use just as ... as.

7. I'm going to sleep on the floor. It's --- sleeping in that hard bed.

8. Why did he get the job rather than me? I'm --- him.

9. At first I thought you were nice but really you're --- everybody else.

106.4 Write sentences using the same as.

1. Sally and Kate are both 22 years old. _Sally is the same age as Kate._

2. You and I both have dark brown hair. Your hair ---.

3. I arrived at 10.25 and so did you. I ---.

4. My birthday is 5 April. Tom's birthday is 5 April too. My ---.

106.5 Complete the sentences with than... or as...

1. I can't reach as high as you. You are taller _than me._

2. He doesn't know much. I know more ---.

3. I don't work particularly hard. Most people work as hard ---.

4. We were very surprised. Nobody was more surprised ---.

5. She's not a very good player. I'm a better player ---.

6. They've been very lucky. I wish we were as lucky ---.

@p214

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 761