比較の応用(as ... as・倍数)

比較の応用(as ... as・倍数)

この課でできるようになること

• as ... asで「同じくらい〜」と言える
• not as ... asで「〜ほど…ない」と言える
• 倍数(twice as ... as等)で比較の程度を言える

まず日本語で考える

比較級・最上級のほかに、英語には「同じくらい」を表すas ... asがあります。
形容詞や副詞の形は変えず、asではさむだけで作れる点が比較級と違います。

as ... asの作り方

asの間の形容詞・副詞は原級のまま。比較級にはしません。

倍数の表現

例文

• My brother is as tall as my father now. — 私の弟は今、父と同じくらいの背です
• This test wasn't as difficult as I expected. — このテストは思っていたほど難しくありませんでした
• She runs as fast as her coach. — 彼女はコーチと同じくらい速く走ります
• This city isn't as crowded as Tokyo. — この街は東京ほど混雑していません
• His new phone is twice as expensive as mine. — 彼の新しい携帯電話は私のものの2倍高いです
• We have three times as many customers as last year. — 私たちには去年の3倍のお客様がいます
• The train is half as fast as the plane, but much cheaper. — 電車は飛行機の半分の速さですが、ずっと安いです
• Please speak as slowly as possible. — できるだけゆっくり話してください(補足: as ... as possibleは「できるだけ〜」)

よくある間違い

• × She is as taller as her brother. → ○ She is as tall as her brother.(asの間は原級のまま。比較級にしない)
• × This bag isn't so as heavy as that one. → ○ This bag isn't as heavy as that one.(否定文もas ... asの形)
• × twice more expensive as mine → ○ twice as expensive as mine(倍数はtwice as+原級+as)

ミニ会話(部屋を探す)

場面: LucyとSamがアパートを探している。

• Lucy : This apartment is as big as our current one. — このアパート、今の部屋と同じくらいの広さだね
• Sam : True, but it's twice as expensive. — 確かに、でも家賃は2倍だよ
• Lucy : Really? Let's find something that isn't as costly. — 本当?もう少し高くない物件を探そう
• Sam : This one looks half as expensive. Let's check it. — こっちは半分くらいの値段に見える。見てみよう
• Lucy : Good idea. It's as close to the station as the first one. — いいね。駅からの近さも最初の物件と同じくらいだ

3行まとめ

• as ... asは「同じくらい」、not as ... asは「〜ほど…ない」を表す。間の形容詞・副詞は原級のまま。
• twice as ... as(2倍)・three times as ... as(3倍)・half as ... as(半分)で程度を比べる。
• as ... as possibleは「できるだけ〜」という決まった言い方。