[Grammar] 'She can sing well as I?' Is it correct?

[ceyg]

Hello,

I'm having some trouble with grammar and I'm not sure if the sentences below are correct.

She can sing well as I.
He can't run fast as I.

I'd prefer to write it as 'he can't run as fast as I' but someone has pointed out that since we can say 'it is white as snow' it is also possible to write a sentence without 'as' in front of an adjective. I'd appreciate your help on this topic.

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello,

I'm having some trouble with grammar and I'm not sure if the sentences below are correct.

She can sing well as I.
He can't run fast as I.

I'd prefer to write it as 'he can't run as fast as I' but someone has pointed out that since we can say 'it is white as snow' it is also possible to write a sentence without 'as' in front of an adjective. I'd appreciate your help on this topic.

It's "as something as". We don't say "It's white as snow", we say "It's as white as snow".

 

[esltutor]

You need the first "as" in your two sentences.

"We use as...as... to say that two people or things are equal in some way." --See Swan's Practical English Usage.

Although I can't find a definitive source for you, I do believe there are going to be times when expressions or idioms without the first "as" are possible. For example, "It's good as gold," "It's right as rain," and "She's white as snow" may be fine in informal writing and speech.

See Right as rain - Idiom Definition - UsingEnglish.com for a definition of "right as rain."

Best,
Debra
Teaching ESL to Adults

 

[Barb_D]

Yes its correct

Did you read the posts above? It's not correct without the other "as."

 

[TheParser]

You need the first "as" in your two sentences.

"We use as...as... to say that two people or things are equal in some way." --See Swan's Practical English Usage.

Although I can't find a definitive source for you, I do believe there are going to be times when expressions or idioms without the first "as" are possible. For example, "It's good as gold," "It's right as rain," and "She's white as snow" may be fine in informal writing and speech.

See Right as rain - Idiom Definition - UsingEnglish.com for a definition of "right as rain."

Best,
Debra
Teaching ESL to Adults

********** NOT A TEACHER **********

Hello, Esltutor.

(1) I found this source:

Longman English Grammar (1988), page 121:

The first "as" is often dropped in everyday expressions:

(as) cold as ice

(as) light as a feather

(as) old as the hills

***** Thank you.

 

[Trance Freak]

Isn't true that 'as+adj+as' is used when the main verb of the sentence is positive, & when the verb is negative, 'so' is used instead of 'as' ?
-Fred works as hard as Jane.
-Fred doesn't work so hard as Jane.

 

[bhaisahab]

Isn't true that 'as+adj+as' is used when the main verb of the sentence is positive, & when the verb is negative, 'so' is used instead of 'as' ?
-Fred works as hard as Jane.
-Fred doesn't work so hard as Jane.

No, whether it's positive or negative it's "as...as".

 

[Harry Smith]

Hello,

I'm having some trouble with grammar and I'm not sure if the sentences below are correct.

She can sing well as I.
He can't run fast as I.

I'd prefer to write it as 'he can't run as fast as I' but someone has pointed out that since we can say 'it is white as snow' it is also possible to write a sentence without 'as' in front of an adjective. I'd appreciate your help on this topic.

She can sing as well as I can. ( She can sing as well as me)
He can't run fast as I can. (He can't run as fast as me)