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San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose! Comparisons with as … as and not as … as

This A2 ESL lesson plan practices comparisons with as … as for choosing between a big city and a national park.

Grammar
As + adjective + as for the same, not as … as for less (The park isn't as crowded as the city.) and almost as … as.
Topic
A weekend in San Francisco or Yosemite, from cable cars and sourdough to El Capitan's granite wall, with words such as steep, valley, choose and recommend.
Activities
A post with two mini guides to read, a city-or-park dialogue and a voice message to hear, self-checking drills, a chat that builds a mini guide and open boxes to recommend a place.

What's inside

  1. Chapter 1City or park? Let's start!

    • PictureUnlock
    • Spin the wheel and answerSpin the wheelUnlock
    • Study the words: the city and the parkVocabularyTry it
    • Look at the pictures and chooseChoose by pictureUnlock

  2. Chapter 2Let's read: two mini guides

    • Look at the photo: the Golden Gate BridgePictureUnlock
    • Read the post: San Francisco or Yosemite?Real-life documentTry it
    • Read and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Read again and choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  3. Chapter 3Let's listen: Biscuit votes

    • Listen to Nora and Marco: city or park?ListeningTry it
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and mark true or falseTrue or falseUnlock
    • Listen to Grandpa's challengeListeningUnlock
    • Transcript, for the teacherUnlock
    • Listen and choose the right answerQuizUnlock

  4. Chapter 4Grammar: not as busy as

    • Study the scheme: (not) as … asGrammar schemeTry it
    • Choose the correct optionChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: as … as or not as … asFill in the gapsTry it
    • Fill in the table: than or not as … asFill in the tableUnlock
    • Choose the correct answerQuizUnlock

  5. Chapter 5Let's talk: my mini guide

    • Choose the right replies: a mini guide for NoraChatTry it
    • Open a box and answer: my mini guideOpen the boxUnlock

  6. Chapter 6Homework

    • Match the words and the meaningsMatchUnlock
    • Unscramble the words from the lessonAnagramUnlock
    • Sort the reasons into the correct columns: city or park?Sort into columnsUnlock
    • Drag the words into the gaps: a mini guide to the cityDrag and dropUnlock
    • Put the parts of each guide in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the correct option: as, than and the right formChoose the optionUnlock
    • Fill in the gaps: say it with not as … asFill in the gapsUnlock
    • Put the words in the correct orderUnjumbleUnlock
    • Choose the correct option: the poll resultsChoose the optionUnlock

30 exercises in 6 chapters. Start a 7-day free trial to open all of them, copy any part into your own lessons, and teach the lesson live.

Vocabulary

10 words and phrases from the lesson, each with a picture and audio in edio.

+7 more with pictures and audio in the lessonMore words

  • sourdough
  • steep
  • vote
  • granite
  • cliff
  • valley
  • postcard

Grammar: as … as for the same, not as … as for less

A city weekend or a national park? Choosing between them calls for a new way to compare. Besides -er and more, learners now use as … as when two things are equal and not as … as when one has less: Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco. Real heights from California, from Half Dome to the Golden Gate towers, turn the pattern into facts.

Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco.

as + adjective + as = the same. not as + adjective + as = less.

As … as: the same

As + adjective + as means the same amount of one quality: The city is as beautiful as the park. I'm as tall as my brother. Even a quiet valley can match a busy city in something: It's as exciting as the city, and more peaceful.

asadjectiveas

The city is as beautiful as the park.

Biscuit is as hungry as a bear!

Not as … as: less

Add not to the verb and the meaning becomes less: Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco, so the city is the busier one. The table runs through every person with be, from I'm not as tall as my brother to They aren't as old as the cable cars.

Less

not asadjectiveas

Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco.

A cable car is not as fast as a car. (isn't = is not)

be + (not) as … as

WhoThe sameLess
II'm as tall as my brother.I'm not as tall as my brother.
youYou're as funny as Marco.You aren't as funny as Marco.
he, she, itShe's as busy as Nora. It's as big as a car.He isn't as busy as Nora. It isn't as big as a car.
weWe're as hungry as Biscuit!We aren't as fast as Big Blue.
theyThey're as famous as the bridge.They aren't as old as the cable cars.

Two ways to say one idea

Every not as … as sentence has a comparative twin: Yosemite is quieter than the city means The city isn't as quiet as Yosemite. Swap the two things and keep the adjective plain. Real numbers make it concrete: Half Dome isn't as high as Mount Lyell.

Two ways, one idea

-er than / more … than

  • Yosemite is quieter than the city.
  • The city is busier than the park.
  • The park is more peaceful than the city.

not as … as

  • The city isn't as quiet as Yosemite.
  • The park isn't as busy as the city.
  • The city isn't as peaceful as the park.

Real numbers from California

  • Half Dome (8,842 feet) isn't as high as Mount Lyell (13,114 feet).
  • El Capitan's wall (3,593 feet) isn't as tall as Half Dome from its base (4,733 feet).
  • The Golden Gate towers (746 feet) aren't as tall as El Capitan.
  • The Golden Gate Bridge (1937) isn't as old as Yosemite National Park (1890).

As, not than, and almost as … as

After as, the adjective stays plain (as busy as, not as busier as), and the pattern ends with as, not than; than follows only -er, more or less. Almost as … as means nearly the same, a little less: It's almost as good as my cooking.

Keep the adjective simple

After as, use the plain adjective: as busy as, as beautiful as (not: as busier as, as more beautiful as). End with as, not than: as busy as the city. Use than only after -er, more or less: busier than, more beautiful than.

almost as … as

almost as … as = nearly the same, a little less: Marco's sandwich is almost as good as his cooking. Almost!

Common mistakes

  • The park isn't as busy than the city.

    The park isn't as busy as the city.

    as … as, not as … than

  • The park isn't as busier as the city.

    The park isn't as busy as the city.

    the plain adjective: busy

  • The city is so beautiful as the park.

    The city is as beautiful as the park.

    the same: as … as

  • The park is as more beautiful as the city.

    The park is as beautiful as the city.

    no more after as

More lessons on this grammar: Comparatives and superlatives lessons and exercises

Try the as … as exercises

Try them yourself: these are the same exercises your students do in edio.

More exercises

What's in the lesson

  • 16 auto-checked exercises
  • 5 games
  • 1 real-life document
  • 1 grammar scheme
  • 1 set of word cards
  • 2 audio clips
  • 2 pictures
  • 2 transcripts

The main objectives of this lesson are to:

  • say two things are the same with as + adjective + as: The city is as beautiful as the park.
  • say one thing has less of a quality with not as … as: Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco.
  • turn a comparative into not as … as: The park is more peaceful than the city. The city isn't as peaceful as the park.
  • choose and recommend one place with reasons: I choose Yosemite. The park isn't as crowded as the city.

Lesson 15 comes third in City or country?, unit 4 of English A2.1 · Then and Now. It builds on the comparatives of A2.1 lessons 10 and 13 (hotter than, more peaceful than) and gives them a partner pattern; lesson 16 closes the unit with too and enough. The task is the unit's goal in small: a mini guide that recommends one place, built in the chat, then spoken.

A wheel of questions about cities, nature and weekends opens the lesson, followed by ten words with pictures and audio, from choose and recommend to granite and valley. The reading is a channel post with two mini guides and facts such as the 1947 vote that saved two cable car lines and El Capitan's 3,593-foot granite wall. Students then hear Nora and Marco argue over city or park (an AI-voiced dialogue) and a voice message about Yosemite's Firefall. The scheme leads into four self-checking drills, among them a table of real heights and dates. In the speaking chapter, a chat builds a mini guide for Nora, and open boxes walk students through their own recommendation.

The nine homework exercises all check themselves: a word match, an anagram, city and park reasons to sort, a mini guide to complete by dragging words, guide parts to put in order, a choice of as, than and the right form, comparatives to restate with not as … as, a sentence unjumble and a post with poll results.

Grammar:
(not) as … as · comparisons · as … as or -er than · almost as … as
Topic:
San Francisco · Yosemite National Park · cable cars · sourdough · the Firefall · city or country · recommending a place

Teaching tips

  • Stand two students back to back and let the class decide: as tall as or not as tall as? Repeat with two bags or two phones: My phone isn't as big as yours.
  • Take a quick vote before the reading: a weekend in a big city or in a national park? After the two mini guides, ask who changed their mind and why.
  • Turn comparatives around on the board: write The city is busier than the park, and students give the not as … as version with the places swapped: The park isn't as busy as the city.
  • Finish with a class vote, as the last open box asks: each student gives a four-sentence mini guide aloud, and the class picks city or park.

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The whole course: English A2.1 · Then and Now

32 lessons for adults at A2 in simple American English, from the past simple to going to, should and might. Eight units tell stories of journeys, American firsts, food, places, sports, music, neighbors and dreams. Pictures and definitions replace translations, and the practice exercises check themselves.See the course

  1. Unit 1 Amazing journeys

    the past simple, regular and irregular verbs, negatives, prepositions of movement

    1. Lesson 1Around the world in 72 daysThe past simple of regular verbs
    2. Lesson 2The first drive across AmericaIrregular verbs in the past simple
    3. Lesson 3Get your kicks on Route 66Past simple negatives with didn't
    4. Lesson 4She walked 2,000 miles in sneakersPrepositions of movement

  2. Unit 2 American firsts

    was and were, past questions and short answers, ago and in, could for past ability

    1. Lesson 5The first American woman in spaceWas, were, there was and there were
    2. Lesson 6A real bug in the computerPast simple questions with did
    3. Lesson 7“Mr. Watson, come here”Wh- questions in the past simple
    4. Lesson 8Twelve seconds in the airCould and couldn't for past ability

  3. Unit 3 American food

    countable and uncountable nouns, comparatives, ordering food, a few and a little

    1. Lesson 9The first chocolate chip cookieCountable and uncountable nouns in a recipe
    2. Lesson 10Is a jalapeño hotter than a habanero?Comparatives of short adjectives
    3. Lesson 11Two eggs, sunny side up!Offers and orders with would like
    4. Lesson 12Cooking for twenty on ThanksgivingA few, a little and a lot of

  4. Unit 4 City or country?

    comparatives with more and less, superlatives, as … as, too and enough

    1. Lesson 13The island with no carsComparatives with more and less, plus better, worse and farther
    2. Lesson 14America's extremesSuperlatives with the + -est, the most and the least
    3. Lesson 15 · you're hereSan Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!As … as for the same, not as … as for less
    4. Lesson 16A park on an old railroadToo, enough and not … enough

  5. Unit 5 Game on

    play, go and do with sports, going to, adverbs of manner, reflexive pronouns

    1. Lesson 17Basketball started with peach baskets?Play, go and do with sports
    2. Lesson 18What's going to happen at LA 2028?Be going to for plans and predictions
    3. Lesson 19Pickleball: a game from a backyardAdverbs of manner
    4. Lesson 20Be brave and tryReflexive pronouns and each other

  6. Unit 6 Music and nights out

    love, enjoy and hate + -ing, the present continuous for plans, suggestions, to for purpose

    1. Lesson 21Where jazz was bornGerunds after love, like, enjoy, hate and don't mind
    2. Lesson 22Music on every streetThe present continuous for future arrangements
    3. Lesson 23A night on BroadwaySuggestions with Let's, Why don't we and How about
    4. Lesson 24An orchestra for every kidThe infinitive of purpose and to or for

  7. Unit 7 Neighbors and community

    much and many, should, something and everyone, because and so

    1. Lesson 25Everybody cleans up!Much and many with nouns you can and can't count
    2. Lesson 26Good neighbors shovel snowShould and shouldn't + the base verb
    3. Lesson 27Take a book, leave a bookIndefinite pronouns with some-, any-, no- and every-
    4. Lesson 28A bench for making friendsBecause for reasons, so for results

  8. Unit 8 Plans and dreams

    verb + to, the present continuous vs going to, might, when, before and after

    1. Lesson 29Never give up: from farm fields to spaceVerb + to + the base form
    2. Lesson 30Across America by trainGoing to and the present continuous for the future
    3. Lesson 31Open in the year 6939Might and might not for possibility
    4. Lesson 32A college graduate at 95Time clauses with when, before and after

Questions about this lesson

What does "as tall as" mean?
As tall as means the same height: I'm as tall as my brother says neither of you is taller. Add not and it means shorter: The Golden Gate towers aren't as tall as El Capitan. The same frame works with any adjective: as busy as, as old as, as beautiful as. A table in San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, compares real heights this way.
What does "not as … as" mean?
Not as … as means less of a quality than the other thing: Yosemite isn't as busy as San Francisco tells you the city is busier. The not joins the verb (isn't, aren't, I'm not), and the adjective stays plain. Almost as … as sits in between: nearly equal, just a little less, as in almost as good as my cooking.
How do you use as … as to compare things?
Use as + adjective + as when two things are equal, with a form of be in front: The city is as beautiful as the park. My town is as busy as the city. For less, put not on the verb: A cable car isn't as fast as a car. The gap-fill in San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, gives cues such as (beautiful) or (not / fast).
What are the grammar rules for as … as?
The grammar of as … as comes down to a plain adjective with as on both sides: as busy as, never as busier as or as more beautiful as. The second word is as too, not than: The park isn't as crowded as the city. Than belongs only after -er, more or less. With be, the negative goes on the verb: isn't as, aren't as, I'm not as.
Is it "as beautiful as" or "so beautiful as"?
In a positive sentence, it's always as beautiful as, never so: The valley is as beautiful as a painting. So … as shows up only after not, mostly in formal English: not so busy as means the same as not as busy as. Learners lose nothing by using as every time. The chat in San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose! on edio.ai lists so beautiful as a painting among the wrong replies.
What's the difference between "not as … as" and "-er than"?
They describe the same facts from opposite ends: Yosemite is quieter than the city and The city isn't as quiet as Yosemite mean the same. To switch, swap the two things and use the plain adjective: The park is more peaceful than the city becomes The city isn't as peaceful as the park. In numbers: Mount Lyell is higher than Half Dome, so Half Dome isn't as high as Mount Lyell.
How do you compare the city and the countryside in English?
Compare city and countryside with adjectives for crowds, noise and pace, in comparatives or as … as: The city is busier than the park. The valley isn't as crowded as the city. The city is as exciting as a movie! Then add each place's own words: steep hills, cable cars and sourdough for a city like San Francisco; granite cliffs, a valley and waterfalls for a national park like Yosemite.
How do you answer "Do you prefer the city or the countryside?"
Answer with your choice and a reason built on a comparison: I prefer the city. It isn't as peaceful as the countryside, but it's more exciting. Choose and recommend work too: I choose the park. I recommend the park to all my friends, not I recommend all my friends the park. In San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, the open boxes turn this into a short spoken guide.
How do I teach as … as to A2 students?
Begin with equal things the class can see, such as two pens of the same length: This pen is as long as that one. A shorter pen brings in not as long as. Next, show that each not as … as sentence matches a comparative with the two things swapped, and end with a real choice, such as a city weekend or a park, so students compare with a purpose.
What's a good game for practicing as … as?
An open-the-box round that ends in a class vote works well: each box asks for one part of a recommendation, such as Give one reason with not as … as or Give a tip: The best time to go is …, and after four sentences the class votes, city or park. A spin-the-wheel warm-up of weekend questions sets it up, and this lesson uses both.
What's good homework for practicing as … as?
Restating comparatives with not as … as makes good homework, since each sentence has one right answer: The city is busier than the park becomes The park is not as busy as the city. In San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose! on edio.ai, that drill comes with a mini guide to complete, guide parts to put in order and a post of poll results, and every exercise checks itself.
Are there interactive exercises for as … as?
Yes: gap-fills and chats with instant feedback work well for as … as. This page lets anyone try four parts of San Francisco or Yosemite? You choose!, an A2 lesson on edio.ai, without an account: the post with Nora's and Marco's mini guides, their city-or-park dialogue, a gap-fill with as … as and not as … as, and a chat that builds a mini guide for Nora. Everything else is locked.
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