As … as

  • A2 · Elementary
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min

(not) as … as for saying that two things are the same or different: I'm as tall as my sister, but I'm not as patient as she is. From twin sisters comparing themselves to the student and the tutor finding out how alike they are.

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as quiet asisn't as busy asas slowly as

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Reading: two of a kind?Reading comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find as … asGrammar exercise
  6. 6How as … as worksGrammar rule
  7. 7Same or different?Grammar exercise
  8. 8Which is right?Grammar exercise
  9. 9Two roommatesGrammar exercise
  10. 10Find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  11. 11Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  12. 12Are we twins?Speaking practice
  13. 13About youGrammar exercise
  14. 14Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: two coffee shopsGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: what does it mean?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: two placesDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. Do you know any twins? Are they very alike?
  2. Are you more like your mom or your dad? How?
  3. Are you and your best friend very different? How?

Grammar rule

How as … as works

as + adjective / adverb + as

Example
The sameThis street is as quiet as a village.
Different (less)The museum isn't as busy as the zoo. (= The zoo is busier.)
With an adverbMy uncle reads as slowly as I do. My dad doesn't drive as carefully as my mom.
QuestionIs the new pool as big as the old one?

Use: as … as says that two people or things are the same. not as … as says that the first one is less: not as busy = less busy, so the other one is busier.

After the second as: a noun (as strong as my brother), me / her / them in everyday English (as strong as me), or a pronoun with a verb (as strong as I am, as fast as she does).

The word in the middle stays plain: not as taller as, not as more patient as. Both words are as: not as tall than.
In a positive sentence, not so: not I'm so tall as my sister. And not the same tall as: say as tall as.
After an action verb (run, swim, speak), use the adverb: Our coach still swims as well as he did at twenty (not as good as). After be or get, use the adjective: as happy as, as calm as.

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