We can use as and not such to introduce a comparison with nouns.

There are two patterns:

• as + adjective + a + noun + as:

It wasn’t as bad a result as I’d expected. (= better than expected)

• not such a + adjective + noun + as:

It wasn’t such a bad result as I’d expected.

We often describe something by comparing it to something else which has similar

qualities. These comparisons are known as ‘similes’.

There are two forms:

• as + adjective + as:
Listening to her was as interesting as watching paint dry.

(In informal English we sometimes omit the first as: She looks white as a sheet.)
• like + noun or verb phrase:
The cruise ship was like a skyscraper lying on its side.

There are many idioms in which we use these two patterns:

You’re as white as a sheet; I think you’d better see a doctor.

I feel full of energy today – I slept like a log last night. !

We use like (not as) before a noun to compare two things which SEEM similar:

✗ Although they looked as an innocent young couple, they were ruthless criminals.

✓ Although they looked like an innocent young couple, they were ruthless criminals.
(They appeared to be innocent, but they weren’t.)

We use as (not like) before a noun when we are describing someone’s actual job,
role or identity, or something’s function:

✗ Simon’s working like a waiter during the summer vacation.

✓ Simon’s working as a waiter during the summer vacation. (This is his job.)

We can also describe something by comparing it with something similar without using
like or as; this is known as a ‘metaphor’:
The new treaty will form a bridge between our two nations. (a bridge = metaphor for ‘a
link’)

Metaphors are common in poetry and literary English:

I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed! (thorns of life = bad experiences)

Comparatives and superlatives can be made stronger or weaker by adding the

following:

COMPARATIVES SUPERLATIVES

➞ stronger ➞ weaker ➞ stronger ➞ weaker

even
a little
(very) considerably
much one of
slightly by far
significantly
far some of
a bit (informal) easily
substantially
(informal)
a lot among
somewhat
a great deal
(formal)
lots
(informal)

! We don’t use a little/a Most one-syllable adjectives can also form the
bit when a noun follows comparative and superlative with more or most instead
the comparative adjective: of -er or -est. We usually use these forms for emphasis
in spoken English:

✗ It’s a little higher price You should be more proud of the things you’ve already
than I expected. achieved. (= prouder)

✓ The price is a little

I think this is the award she is the most proud of. (=
proudest)
higher than I expected.

CONVERSATION

- I am really nervous, Cathy. I have not travelled alone for long. What if I don't
understand what people say? And if I get lost?...
 + That's not realistic. You have been living in England for so many years...you speak
English so well, almost as a native-speaker.

- I will be more self-confident if we review ways to express advice and suggestions. If I

finally get lost, I will understand people talking to me at least.

+ Right, it will just take us few minutes to check these expressions. Would you like to
have a coffee in the canteen?

- Perfect, Cathy. I have some free time now.

Giving advice and making suggestions are two different language functions, but in real
life they often go together. Let’s see here some very common constructions you can use
to give advice to a friend.

You should go to the doctor, he’ll tell you what to do

SHOULD
WHY DON’T YOU
HOW ABOUT + ING
(or YOU + bare infinitive)
MUST/HAVE TO
[strong advice]
IF I WERE YOU (+ would)
YOU’D BETTER (not) + bare infinitive
(colloquial often: YOU BETTER...)
YOU’D BE CRAZY (not) TO
You shouldn’t go to bed so late, you need more sleep
I know it’s difficult to find, but why don’t you look on the Internet?
Why don’t you wait here for a moment, I’m sure she will be back very soon
You look bored. How about going for a walk? We could go to the river.
How about you stay here and I go and look for help?
You must go to the doctor immediately, that looks serious.
You have to take her to that movie, she’s going to love it.
If I were you, I’d send her an e-mail saying sorry
If I were you, I wouldn’t buy that book
You’d better not call her now, she must be too angry with you
You better come to my house and ask my father
That girl is wonderful. You’d be crazy not to love her
The house you showed me is so expensive. You’d be crazy to buy it.
 IT’S HIGH TIME YOU
You can’t be with that job all your life. It’s high time you started looking for a new job.
I think it’s high time we went home, it’s too late.
(+ simple past)
SUGGEST
I suggest that you eat more vegetables
I suggest that you should take a holiday, you look so tired
(+ that you (should) )
IMPERATIVES
Stop drinking so much coffee, it’s not healthy
Start going to the gym
(start, stop, try, consider...) + ing

Accepting Refusing
Nah
Sorry, I can’t / I don’t like it / I don’t think it’s a good idea
Ok / Fine / Sure / Alright What? You must be kidding!
That’s a good idea No way
That sounds good Uhm... Can’t we think of something different?
Sounds like a great idea That’s a good idea but...
Sounds good to me I’d love to, but...
That would be great, but...

When refusing it is very usual to give a reason or an excuse, for example:

- Shall we go to the theatre tonight? It’s a very good play.

- No, sorry. I’m not much of a theatre man. I can’t stay still for so long.
Or:
- Sounds good, but tonight I have plans already. Maybe some other time.

It is also common to give an alternative. For this, we often use INSTEAD:

- Why don't we go to the movies tomorrow night?

- Tomorrow night? No, let's go for a drink instead.

- Shall we go for a walk? I need to talk with you.

- Well, why don't we stay at home instead? We can talk over a cup of coffee.

In this unit we will draw attention to language chunks of some of the following
types. In this case, all in relation to cities and urban life.
 IDIOM
S
DEPENDEN
PHRAS
COMPOU T phrases
AL with
COLLOCATI ND PREPOSITI
VERBS special
ONS NOUNS ONS
meaning
two-or that
words frequently nouns made some adjectives, three-part cannot
used together up of two or nouns and verbs verbs with be
more words are followed by idiomatic understo
particular meanings od from
prepositions the
individu
al words

go to
town on
somethin
g
densenly populated
hit the
leafy suburbs road
tourist
open spaces attraction cut and
dried
violent crime skyscraper
steeped in history break can't
down fight city
residential cost of living
plagued by crime hall
buildings
get around
air pollution
associated with city
affluent suburbs
look slicker
commuter belt
cause of forward to
run-down estates
go to
traffic jam town on
rural area somethin
rush hour g
local environment
hustle
exhaust fumes and
bustle

be in fat
city

https://quizlet.com/202727201/ap-human-geography-cities-and-urban-
land-use-flash-cards/