Page 143 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

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inequality: more ... than; older ... than; most, oldest, etc
To say that people, things etc are unequal in a particular way, we can use comparative adjectives and adverbs, or more + adjective/adverb (see 137-141).
He's much older than her. The baby's more attractive than you.
To say which one of a group is outstanding in a particular way, we can use a superlative or most + adjective/adverb (see 137-141).
You're the laziest and most annoying person in the whole office. inequality: less, least: not so/as ... as
We can also talk about inequality by looking at the 'lower' end of the scale. One possibility is to use less (than) (see 320) or least (see 318).
The baby's less ugly than you.
I want to spend the least possible time working.
In informal usage, we more often use not so ... as or not as ... as (see 136).
The baby's not so ugly as you.
comparison (2): as ... as; as much/many as use
We use as ... as to say that people or things are equal in some way.
She's as tall as her brother. Is it as good as you expected? She speaks French as well as the rest ofus.
negative structures
After not, we can use so ... as instead of as ... as.
He's not as/so friendly as she is. (more informal than He's less friendly . ..)
as ... as + adjective/adverb
Note the structure as •.. as + adjective/adverb.
Please get here as soon as possible.
I'll spend as much as necessary. You're as beautiful as ever.
pronouns after as
In an informal style we can use object pronouns (me, him etc) after as. She doesn't sing as well as me.
In a formal style, we prefer subject + verb after as. She doesn't sing as well as 1 do.
A subject form without a verb (e.g. as well as he) is unusual in this structure in modem English.
asmuch/many...as
We can use as much/many . .. as to talk about quantity. I haven't got as much money as I thought.
We need as many people as possible.
As much/many can be used without following nouns.
I ate as much as I could. She didn't catch as many as she'd hoped.
And as much ... can be used as an adverb. You ought to rest as much as possible.
comparison (2): as ... as; as much/many as 136
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