Comparatives of Equality (As…as / Not as…as)
📌 Lesson contents
🎯 Lesson goal
In this lesson you will learn to use as…as 📖 to compare two things that are equal or not equal. You will see how to build the sentences 🧠, when to use them ✍️ and you can practise straight away with the quiz at the bottom of the page! 🚀
🌟 What does “as…as” mean?
As…as compares two things and shows that:
- They are equal in some quality ✅
- They are not equal (with the negative not) ❌
🔍 How do we use it?
| Type of comparison | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Equality (positive) | as + adjective + as | She is as tall as her brother. 🧍♂️🧍♀️ |
| Not equal (negative) | not as + adjective + as | This car is not as fast as that one. 🚗❌ |
🔍 Practical examples
Comparing equal things
✅ When two things are the same in some way:
- My house is as big as yours. 🏡
- He is as smart as his sister. 🧠
Comparing things that are not equal
✅ When one thing does not have a quality to the same degree as the other:
- This book is not as interesting as the movie. 📖❌🎬
- She isn’t as fast as her friend. 🏃♀️❌🏃♀️
🧩 Summary table – as…as
| Comparison | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Equality | as + adjective + as | He is as funny as his friend. 😂 |
| Not equal | not as + adjective + as | This chair is not as comfortable as that one. 🪑❌ |
❓ Basic questions answered
- Can I use “as…as” with adverbs too?
➔ Yes! (e.g. He runs as quickly as his brother). - Does the verb go before or after “as…as”?
➔ The verb goes before the comparison (e.g. She is as kind as her mother). - If I add “not”, does the meaning change?
➔ Yes! It means the two things are not equal: the first one has less of the quality (e.g. not as fast as…).
🚫 Common mistakes to avoid
| Mistake ❌ | Correct ✅ |
|---|---|
| She is tall as her brother. | She is as tall as her brother. (Don’t forget the first as!) |
| He isn’t so smart as her. | He isn’t as smart as her. (Use the standard as…as structure) |
| This movie is not so interesting that the book. | This movie is not as interesting as the book. |
👉 Remember: never skip the first “as” and keep the structure fixed!
📌 Final summary
- As…as ➔ the two things are equal.
- Not as…as ➔ the two things are not equal.
Always use as + adjective + as and never change the adjective! ✍️ Practise by comparing objects, people or everyday situations! ✨
Gap Fill & Translation Exercises
Test yourself! In the first 15 sentences, complete with the correct form of ‘as…as’ or ‘not as…as’. In the last 5, say the sentence in English from the situation given.