این درس را با دو مثال شروع می‌کنیم:
She’s old, but she’s not as old as he is.
در این جمله گفته شده که این خانم، به اندازه این آقا سن و سال ندارد.
Box A isn’t as big as Box B.
در اینجا هم گفته شده که جعبه A به بزرگی B نیست.
بنابراین ترکیب as X as برای مقایسه دو چیز در صفت و ویژگی X به کار می‌رود.
شهر آتن از شهر روم قدیمی‌تر است. بیایید به زبان انگلیسی بگوییم روم به اندازه آتن قدیمی نیست:
Rome is not as old as Athens. (= Athens is older)
در زیر جملات بیشتری را برای این ترکیب آورده‌ایم.
The Grand Hotel isn’t as expensive as the Western.
(= the Western is more expensive)
I don’t play soccer as often as you.
(= you play more often)
The weather is better than it was yesterday. It isn’t as cold.
(= as cold as it was yesterday)
به جای X در not as X as می‌توانیم صفات متعددی را قرار دهیم. دو کلمه much و many هم در چنین ترکیبی بسیار استفاده می‌شوند:
not as much as / not as many as
برای مثال اگر بخواهیم بگوییم من به اندازه تو پول ندارم یا تو پول بیشتری داری خواهیم گفت:
I don’t have as much money as you. (= you have more money)
I don’t know as many people as you. (= you know more people)
I don’t go out as much as you. (= you go out more)
older than
یک ترکیب شبیه به not as old as، ترکیب older than است (به جای old می‌توان از هر صفتی استفاده کرد).
در زیر برای هر کدام سه مثال آورده‌ایم تا این سه مورد را با هم مقایسه کنیم:
Rome is not as old as Athens.
Athens is older than Rome (not older as Rome)
Tennis isn’t as popular as soccer.
Soccer is more popular than tennis.
I don’t go out as much as you.
You go out more than me.
as me
همانطور که در مثال آخر دیدیم، می‌توان بعد از as از ضمیر مفعولی استفاده کرد.
She’s not as old as him.
or
She’s not as old as he is.
استفاده از ضمیر مفعولی بعد از as ترکیب بسیار رایج و مفیدی است.
You don’t work as hard as me.
or
You don’t work as hard as I do.
the same as
اگر هم بخواهیم بگوییم دو چیز یکسان هستند از این عبارت می‌توانیم استفاده کنیم. برای مثال هوای امروز عین هوای دیروز بود به این صورت بیان می‌شود:
The weather today is the same as yesterday.
My hair is the same color as yours.
I arrived at the same time as Tim.