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The country is

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Bassim

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Please, would you tell me if these sentences are grammatically correct:

1. The country is no longer powerful as it was before.
2. The country is no longer as powerful as it was before.

My question is, do I need the first "as" at all?
 
probus

probus

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Both are grammatically correct, but they differ in meaning.

1. The country was once powerful but is no longer powerful.

2. The country is still powerful, but not as much as before.
 
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SoothingDave

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They are two different meanings.

The first needs a comma after "powerful," and means that the country is not powerful now at all.

The second means the country's power has been reduced.
 
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Odessa Dawn

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Do we have a rule here or all we need is a native speaker to be around in order to interpret such statements?
 
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5jj

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Odessa Dawn said:
Do we have a rule here or all we need is a native speaker to be around in order to interpret such statements?
Click to expand...
It's not a matter of a rule - it's simply what the words mean.

I am no longer a teacher, as I used to be / as I was once / as I was before.
I no longer as young as I used to be / as I was once? / as I was before.

 
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SoothingDave

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Odessa Dawn said:
Do we have a rule here or all we need is a native speaker to be around in order to interpret such statements?
Click to expand...

The general rule is to read answers until you are satisfied. If you don't like a non-teacher's answer, you can wait for confirmation or contradiction by a teacher. But keep in mind that opinions vary on many things, even among teachers.
 
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Odessa Dawn

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To be honest with you, Dave, I am not saying that your answers are not satisfied. Besides, I am not worthy of evaluating you, Dave and probus. Your feedback to my questions were, are, and will be excellent and definitive. However, as a learner, sometimes I can't memorize or understand unless I have a rule that simplifies English to me. Again, please note that all UE members are treasure to me. Also, when you are away, Dave, I check your profile just to read your helpful replies in this great forum. Thank you and my sincere apologize.

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