Comparing adjectives
To compare things, we can also use other structures than the comparative and the superlative. Examples of these expressions might include:
- My mom is just as clever as me.
= me and my mom have the same amount of intelligence - You aren't as tall as a giraffe, c'mon!
= you and the giraffe have different height
Structure As... as... (or So...as...)
We use these structures to say that two things are similar to each other, for example:
- He is as tall as me.
- I'm as pretty as you are.
- Your house is as big as ours.
We can also use this expression in a negative form:
- Rhonda isn't as fit as I am.
- Math isn't so boring as French.
- They aren't so nice as we are.
Watch out! The structure So... as... cannot be used with the positive structure.
Structure Comparative + than
We use these structures to compare two things that are different in some characteristic, for example:
- She works harder than him.
- It's more comfortable than your car.
- His son is much older than you.
- We have more cars than they do.
Common mistakes to avoid
Not as bigger as – use either as big as or bigger than, never both together.
Not so clever so – the second word must be as, not so: so clever as.
Not happy than – a comparative needs -er or more: happier than.
