As… as& Modifiers
much / a bit / far + comparative
CEFR Pathway · You are here
Get talking · Section 1
5 minWarm up
Find two things in the room that are exactly the same size. Are they equal or not?
Compare your home city with the capital city. What's similar? What's different?
How much bigger is an elephant than a cat? A bit, a lot, or far bigger?
Grammar focus · Section 2
8–10 minas...as and modifying comparatives
Read the examples. What is the pattern? Say the rule in your own words first.
→ This train is as fast as the plane, believe it or not.
→ Her English isn't as good as she thinks.
→ Tokyo is far more crowded than my town.
→ This coffee is a bit stronger than yesterday's.
→ Prices here are slightly higher than online.
Reveal the rule
To say two things are EQUAL, use as + adjective + as: 'This phone is as expensive as that one.' For NEGATIVE equality, use not as + adjective + as: 'My flat isn't as big as yours.' To make a comparative STRONGER or WEAKER, add a modifier before it: much/a lot/far bigger (big difference), a bit/slightly bigger (small difference), no bigger (no difference at all — a bit rude/surprising tone).
Equality vs difference
e.g. as + adjective + as = equal
Don't double compare
Say 'not as good as', not 'not so more good as'. And never mix: 'much as good as' is wrong — use 'as good as' OR 'much better than', not both.
Memory tip
Small gap = 'a bit / slightly'. Big gap = 'much / a lot / far'. Zero gap = 'as...as'.
Natural English
Native speakers often say 'nowhere near as' for a huge negative gap: 'This café is nowhere near as good as the old one.'
Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.
1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.
Question 1.This bag is ____ expensive ____ that one — same price.
Question 2.My brother isn't ____ tall ____ me.
Question 3.This exam was ____ harder than the last one — I barely passed.
Question 4.The two paintings look ____ similar — I can barely tell them apart.
Question 5.Choose the natural sentence.
Vocabulary · Section 3
5–7 minWords & phrases to own
Don't just read these — say one out loud, then use it about your life.
roughly
approximately, more or less
"The two flats cost roughly the same."
Compare two prices using 'roughly'.
identical
exactly the same
"The twins are practically identical."
Name two identical things you own.
nowhere near
not at all close to
"This café is nowhere near as good as the old one."
Use it to compare two restaurants.
noticeably
in a way you can clearly notice
"It's noticeably colder this week."
Describe a noticeable difference in your life.
marginally
by a very small amount
"Our team won marginally."
Use 'marginally' about a small win or loss.
by far
by a large amount (with superlatives)
"She's by far the best singer here."
Say who is by far the best at something you know.
Discuss with a partner
- →Compare two phones you know using 'roughly', 'noticeably' or 'marginally'.
- →Is anything in your life 'nowhere near as good as' it used to be?
Finish the sentence about you
- …is nowhere near as… as… …
- …is noticeably…than… …
- …is by far the… …
60-second write
In 60 seconds, write 3 sentences comparing your current job/studies with a past one.
Pronunciation · Section 4
3–4 minWeak 'as' /əz/ in comparisons
- • as fast as /əz fɑːst əz/
- • as good as gold
- • not as bad as I thought
- • nowhere near as busy
How to say it
In 'as...as' sentences, both 'as' words are usually weak and quick — /əz/, not /æz/. The stress falls on the adjective in between: 'as BIG as', 'as EXpensive as'. Say the sentence smoothly, almost gliding over the 'as'.
Reading · Section 5
8–10 minTwo neighbourhoods, one decision
When Priya was choosing where to live, she compared two neighbourhoods carefully. Riverside was far more expensive than Oldtown — roughly 30% pricier per month — but it was noticeably quieter and closer to her office. Oldtown wasn't as convenient for the commute, but it was nowhere near as noisy, and the flats were a bit bigger for the same money. In the end, the rent wasn't as important to her as the noise level, so she chose Oldtown. Her friend Marco made the opposite choice: for him, saving time was by far the biggest priority, so he paid marginally more but ended up ten minutes from work instead of forty. Neither choice was wrong — it simply depended on what mattered most to each of them.
Read once for the overall message. Decide true or false first, then answer from memory — check the text only to find the sentence that proves you right.
Q1.Riverside was cheaper than Oldtown.
Q2.Priya chose Oldtown because of the noise.
Q3.Marco's flat is ten minutes from work.
Answer from memory first. Type what you think, and only open the choices if you need them.
Question 1.How did the price of Riverside compare to Oldtown?
Question 2.What mattered most to Priya?
Question 3.What was Marco's biggest priority?
Listening · Section 6
8–10 minComparing two gyms
Listening audio
Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.
Show transcript
Leo:So, which gym should I join — the one near you or the one in town?
Ana:Mine is far cheaper, honestly — about half the price.
Leo:Is it as good, though? Same equipment?
Ana:It's not quite as modern, but it's nowhere near as crowded either.
Leo:And the one in town?
Ana:Noticeably nicer, slightly more expensive classes, but it's much further from home.
Leo:Hmm. Convenience matters as much to me as price, I think.
Ana:Then go with mine — it's by far the closest option for you.
First listening: catch the language, not the details. Tick what you hear, then listen again for the answers.
Question 1.How does Ana's gym compare on price?
Question 2.How crowded is Ana's gym compared to the town one?
Question 3.What matters most to Leo?
Exam skills · Section 7
5 minCambridge PET — Writing Part 2 (short message/comparison)
Task
Write a short message recommending one of two options, comparing them clearly.
Strategy
Use varied comparison language instead of repeating 'more' and 'better': mix as...as, far/much + comparative, and a bit/slightly for small differences. Give one clear final recommendation supported by the comparison.
Example
The city centre flat is far more convenient than the suburb one, and it's not as expensive as I expected. The suburb flat is slightly bigger, but it's nowhere near as close to the station. I'd recommend the city centre flat.
Practice · Section 8
8–10 minFill in the blank
Q1.Say two cities are equally expensive using 'as...as':
Q2.Say your phone is much better than your old one:
Q3.Say a small difference in temperature using 'slightly':
Question 1.This laptop is ____ fast ____ that one — identical speed.
Question 2.Her flat isn't ____ ____ mine — mine is bigger.
Question 3.The new bridge is ____ safer than the old one.
Question 4.It's ____ warmer today than yesterday — hardly noticeable.
Question 5.He is ____ the best player on the team.
Writing · Section 9
5 minPut it in writing
Plan first: three bullet points, then study the model and notice how it links ideas. Write only after that.
Your task
Write 120 words comparing two cafés, shops or apps you know. Use at least one 'as...as' sentence, one 'much/far + comparative', and one 'a bit/slightly'.
Plan (3 bullets)
- 1. What is the situation?
- 2. What are your two main points?
- 3. How will you finish it?
Study the model
I often compare Café Luna and The Bean House. Café Luna isn't as cheap as The Bean House, but the coffee is far better, in my opinion. The seating area is only slightly bigger at The Bean House, so it can get crowded at lunchtime. Café Luna is nowhere near as noisy, which I love when I'm working. Overall, prices are roughly the same, but I go to Café Luna because it's noticeably calmer and by far the more comfortable place to sit for a few hours.
Speaking · Section 10
10–15 minMake it a real conversation
PAIRS · Compare two versions of the same thing you both know (two phones, two cafés, two routes to school/work). Use at least 4 comparison structures from this lesson. Partner must ask one follow-up question.
Useful phrases
- • It's nowhere near as… as…
- • …is far/much more… than…
- • It's only a bit/slightly…
- • …is by far the…
- • …isn't as… as…
Decide & report
Work through the situation and agree on one decision together. Then report your decision in 30 seconds, giving two reasons.
- AIs the new office as good as the old one?
- B_______________
- AWhich laptop should I buy?
- B_______________
Optional · Teacher-led
Teacher Activities
Focus on precision — students should choose the right modifier for the size of the gap, not just any comparative. ~28 min total
Homework · Section 11
Take-homeTake it home
Write 5 sentences comparing your city with another one, using different modifiers each time.
Record yourself comparing two products using 'as...as' and 'far/much + comparative'.
Find 3 comparison sentences in an online review and note which modifier is used.
Recap · Section 12
2–3 minWhat you've learned
- as + adjective + as = equal; not as + adjective + as = negative comparison.
- much / a lot / far + comparative = big difference.
- a bit / slightly + comparative = small difference.
- by far + superlative = clearly the biggest difference.
- 'nowhere near as...as' is a strong, natural way to say something isn't close at all.
Extra Practice
Grammar · Vocabulary · Speaking · Review
Found this lesson tricky? Practise the language from Lesson 22 again.
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