Using as…as in English Grammar: Rules and Examples

Two things do not have to be different for us to compare them. Sometimes the point is that they are equal, nearly equal, or not equal at all.

English commonly uses as…as for this kind of comparison:

The second route is as direct as the first.

The new office is not as spacious as the old one.

The pattern also works with adverbs, quantities, modifiers such as almost and just, and expressions such as as quickly as you can.

What Does as…as Mean?

Use as…as when two people, things, actions, or situations are equal in some quality or degree.

The basic pattern is:

as + adjective or adverb + as

For example:

This fabric is as durable as the more expensive one.

The word between the two instances of as stays in its basic form.

Correct: as tall as

Incorrect: as taller as

Correct: as useful as

Incorrect: as more useful as

As…as already does the comparing, so you do not need a comparative form such as taller or more useful inside the pattern.

Using as…as With Adjectives

With an adjective, as…as compares the degree of a quality.

The renovated hall is as bright as the main gallery.

This route is as steep as the northern trail.

Her final proposal was as practical as the original plan.

The two things do not have to be identical in every way. The sentence only presents them as equal in the quality named by the adjective.

For example:

This apartment is as expensive as that one.

The apartments may differ in size, location, or design. The sentence only compares their price.

Using as…as With Adverbs

The same pattern works with adverbs when you are comparing how an action is performed.

Mira works as efficiently as her manager.

The replacement engine runs as quietly as the original one.

Daniel responded as calmly as he could.

The form you choose depends on what the word is describing.

Compare:

The explanation was as clear as the guide.

Here, clear describes the explanation.

She explained the process as clearly as the instructor.

Here, clearly describes how she explained it.

Using not as…as for Inequality

When the two sides are unequal, English commonly uses not as…as.

The temporary office is not as quiet as the main building.

The second proposal was not as detailed as the first.

He does not speak as confidently as his colleague.

In many cases, the same basic relationship can be expressed with a comparative:

The temporary office is not as quiet as the main building.

The main building is quieter than the temporary office.

The wording changes, but both sentences show that the main building is quieter.

Not as…as and Less…than Are Not Always Equally Natural

Not as…as and less…than can sometimes express a similar comparison:

The revised process is not as complicated as the original.

The revised process is less complicated than the original.

Both are natural.

With many short adjectives, however, not as…as is often more natural than less + adjective.

The new shelf is not as high as the old one.

usually sounds more natural than:

The new shelf is less high than the old one.

So the choice depends partly on the adjective and normal usage.

Not so…as Is Possible, but Less Common

You may also see:

not so + adjective/adverb + as

For example:

The journey was not so tiring as I expected.

This has essentially the same comparison meaning as:

The journey was not as tiring as I expected.

In modern everyday English, not as…as is generally more common, so it is the safer default for most learners.

Modifying as…as Changes the Meaning

Words before the first as can make the comparison more precise.

Just as…as

Just as…as emphasizes equality.

The smaller venue was just as comfortable as the larger one.

The speaker is stressing that there was no meaningful difference in comfort.

Almost or Nearly as…as

These forms mean close to equal, but not completely equal.

The second draft is almost as detailed as the final version.

The side entrance is nearly as wide as the main one.

In both cases, the first item falls slightly short of the second.

Not Quite as…as

Not quite as…as also describes a relatively small difference.

The updated model is not quite as light as its competitor.

The weights are close, but the updated model is still heavier.

Not Nearly as…as

Not nearly as…as signals a much larger difference.

The temporary hall is not nearly as spacious as the main auditorium.

Here, the gap is clearly much larger.

Nowhere Near as…as

For an even stronger contrast, English can use nowhere near as…as.

The repair was nowhere near as expensive as we expected.

This shows that the actual cost was far below the expected one.

As Much as and As Many as

The same general pattern can compare quantities.

Comparing Quantities

With uncountable nouns, use as much as:

We had as much time as the other team.

The new system uses as much energy as the previous model.

With plural countable nouns, use as many as:

The second workshop attracted as many participants as the first.

We received as many applications as last year.

The same pattern can be made negative:

We did not have as much time as expected.

The event did not attract as many visitors as last year.

Emphasizing a Large Amount

As much as and as many as can also emphasize that an amount or number is surprisingly or notably large.

Compare:

We received as many applications as last year.

Here, two quantities are being compared.

But:

We received as many as 600 applications.

Here, as many as highlights the size of the number.

Likewise:

The repair could cost as much as $8,000.

The phrase emphasizes the possible amount rather than comparing it with another stated amount.

Using as…as With Ability or Possibility

You will also see as…as in expressions with can, could, and possible.

Finish the report as soon as possible.

Walk as quietly as you can.

We drove as far as we could before stopping.

Take as many photographs as you need.

These expressions describe the greatest practical degree or amount allowed by the situation rather than a simple comparison between two named things.

What Can Come After the Second As?

What comes after the second as can vary.

A noun phrase:

The new desk is as wide as the old one.

A pronoun:

The new desk is as wide as mine.

A clause:

The project was as difficult as we expected.

Another clause:

She handled the discussion as calmly as she could.

As Me or As I Am?

Both of these patterns are standard:

Priya is as tall as me.

Priya is as tall as I am.

The full clause as I am can sound more formal, while as me is common in everyday standard English.

When the Comparison Is Left Unsaid

Sometimes the comparison after as is omitted because it is already clear from context.

The older model was expensive. The new one is not as expensive.

The understood meaning is:

The new one is not as expensive as the older model.

Similarly:

Ava is already six feet tall, but her brother is not as tall.

So it is useful to learn as…as as the full pattern, but the second part does not have to be repeated when the comparison is obvious.

as…as and the Positive Degree

In traditional grammar, the adjective in as…as is still called the positive, or basic, form:

as tall as

not:

as taller as

The whole sentence still makes a comparison. The as…as pattern is what creates it.

For the broader system, see degrees of comparison in English grammar.

as…as vs Comparative + Than

These two structures express different relationships.

as…as

The northern route is as direct as the eastern route.

The routes are presented as equal in directness.

comparative + than

The northern route is more direct than the western route.

The routes are presented as different in directness.

With a negative as…as structure, the meanings can come closer:

The western route is not as direct as the northern route.

The northern route is more direct than the western route.

For detailed comparative formation and usage, see comparative and superlative adjectives.

as…as vs the Same as

These structures can both express similarity, but they do not always say exactly the same thing.

Use as + adjective/adverb + as when you are comparing a particular quality or degree:

This screen is as wide as mine.

The sentence compares width.

Use the same as when you mean that something is the same in a broader sense:

This screen is the same as mine.

Depending on the context, that could mean the same model, design, type, or another broader kind of sameness.

Compare:

Her bag is as heavy as mine.

This only compares weight.

Her bag is the same as mine.

This suggests that the bags themselves are the same in some relevant way.

Multiples With as…as

Expressions such as twice or three times can come before as…as when you are comparing measurable quantities or dimensions.

The new warehouse is twice as large as the old one.

This cable is three times as long as the original cable.

The upgraded battery lasts twice as long as the previous version.

The usual pattern is:

twice / three times / four times + as + adjective/adverb + as

Correct: The new screen is twice as wide as the old one.

Avoid mixing this pattern with a comparative form:

Incorrect: twice as wider as

Common Mistakes With as…as

Most errors come from mixing as…as with another comparison pattern.

Using a Comparative Form Between as…as

Incorrect: This desk is as wider as mine.

Correct: This desk is as wide as mine.

Use the basic form wide, not wider.

Using Than Instead of the Second As

Incorrect: The second option is as practical than the first.

Correct: The second option is as practical as the first.

Than belongs with comparative forms such as more practical than.

Putting Not Inside the Structure

Incorrect: The hallway is as not bright as the lobby.

Correct: The hallway is not as bright as the lobby.

Place not before the first as.

Mixing Up Much and Many

Incorrect: We received as much applications as last year.

Correct: We received as many applications as last year.

Use many with plural countable nouns and much with uncountable nouns.

Assuming Equality When a Modifier Changes It

The new version is almost as fast as the original.

This does not mean the two versions are equally fast. Almost tells us that the new version comes close but does not quite reach the same level.

A Quick Guide to as…as Comparisons

As…as is simple once you see what the sentence is comparing. Keep the adjective or adverb in its basic form, then look at the words around it to see whether the meaning is equality, a small difference, a large difference, quantity, or a multiple.

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