1. What is the as… as… Comparison?

The as… as… comparison is used to express equality between two things. It shows that one thing has the same amount, degree, or quality as another. The structure is usually:
as + adjective/adverb + as

Examples:

• She is as tall as her brother.
• The test was as difficult as I expected.

In these examples, we’re showing that the two subjects (e.g., “she” and “her brother”) have the same quality (e.g., height) in an equal measure.

2. Structure Breakdown: How to Use It

Here’s how to form as… as… comparisons:

A. Positive Comparison

Use as… as… with adjectives or adverbs to show equality.

Example:

• The lake is as deep as the ocean.
  • Here, we’re saying the lake has a depth equal to the ocean.

B. Negative Comparison

If you want to show that something does not have an equal quality, add not in front of the first “as.”

Example:

• My car is not as fast as his car.
  • Here, we’re saying my car is slower than his car.

3. Using Nouns and Quantities in as… as… Comparisons

Sometimes, we want to compare quantities or amounts. For this, use as many… as (for countable nouns) or as much… as (for uncountable nouns).

Examples:

• Countable: There are as many books as magazines on the table.
• Uncountable: She has as much patience as her mother.

4. Common Expressions with as… as…

In English, there are several popular idiomatic expressions that use as… as… for comparison. These can add color to your language and make you sound more natural.

Examples:

• As cool as a cucumber (very calm)
• As busy as a bee (very busy)
• As sharp as a tack (very smart)

5. Practice Exercises

Now that you know how to use as… as…, try filling in the blanks with the correct form of the comparison.

1. My house is ________ big ________ yours.
2. She works ________ hard ________ her brother.
3. He doesn’t have ________ much money ________ his friends.
4. The movie was ________ exciting ________ we expected.

Answers:

1. My house is as big as yours.
2. She works as hard as her brother.
3. He doesn’t have as much money as his friends.
4. The movie was as exciting as we expected.