the real meaning of as well as...

[optimistic pessimist]

Dear all,
I'd like to ask about the use of "as...as".

I read a textbook that says, "A is as...as B" means "A≧B", not "A=B".

According to the book, therefore, if John is 173cm tall and Paul is 172cm, it's okay to say, "John is as tall as Paul, but "Paul is as tall as John" is wrong.

Is this true? The book also says this is why "Tom is as tall as any student in my class." makes sense.

Thank you!

OP

 

[Raymott]

Yes, it's true.
"A is as tall as B" is generally used to mean "A is equally tall or taller than B".
If you want to make it clearer, you can say "A is at least as tall as B".
"Tom is at least as tall as any student in my class."

If you want to mean exactly the same, you'd say "A is the same height as B", or you could use adverbs: "A is exactly/precisely as tall as B"

 

[MASM]

Dear all,
I'd like to ask about the use of "as...as".

I read a textbook that says, "A is as...as B" means "A≧B", not "A=B".

According to the book, therefore, if John is 173cm tall and Paul is 172cm, it's okay to say, "John is as tall as Paul, but "Paul is as tall as John" is wrong.

Is this true? The book also says this is why "Tom is as tall as any student in my class." makes sense.

Thank you!

OP

This is a very interesting question,

According to Mr. Swan we use as...as to say that people or things are equal in some way (but I guess not exactly the same). "She's as tall as her brother".

"According to the book, therefore, if John is 173cm tall and Paul is 172cm, it's okay to say, "John is as tall as Paul, but "Paul is as tall as John" is wrong". I'm uncertain about that part, I think that is more or less the same both sentences would be correct, although to me, it make sense to place the taller in the first place as a comparison.

"Tom is as tall as any student in my class." This sentence is fine, it means that all the students in that class are similar in height.

 

[Raymott]

"According to the book, therefore, if John is 173cm tall and Paul is 172cm, it's okay to say, "John is as tall as Paul, but "Paul is as tall as John" is wrong". I'm uncertain about that part, I think that is more or less the same both sentences would be correct, although to me, it make sense to place the taller in the first place as a comparison.

If Paul is a centimeter shorter than John, then he is not as tall as John.

 

[MASM]

If Paul is a centimeter shorter than John, then he is not as tall as John.

Would you accept then, "John is as tall as Paul"? because according to the original poster's book this could be valid.

 

[Raymott]

Would you accept then, "John is as tall as Paul"? because according to the original poster's book this could be valid.

Yes, see my post #2

 

[MASM]

Yes, see my post #2

Sorry, I didn't read your other post with proper attention. Thank you very much