Lesson summary
Video transcript
What is up guys? My name is Shane. In this English vocabulary lesson, you are going to learn 15 important expressions with this word right here. As. ‘As’ is a small two letter word but it can be used with many other words to make a lot of different expressions with different meanings.
Oh! Here they are now. As to? As for? As yet? What do these expressions mean? Let’s find out!
Expression #1
Number one. As … as. This means to a certain point. John is as tall as Mark. Mark’s point is here. This is his height. John’s height is also at this point. It’s at the same point. It’s not higher and it’s not lower.
Hmm. Look at this man. He carried the suitcase as far as he could and then he fell over because he was too tired. ‘As far as’ means to the point where he couldn’t carry the suitcase anymore because he was too tired. When he got to that point, he fell over.
Expression #2
Number two. As a result. Because of something. As a result of the man carrying his suitcase too far, he was taken to hospital. Because he carried his suitcase, that’s the something, he was taken to hospital. Another example. He had an accident and as a result, he can’t play in the tournament. Because he had the accident, now he can’t play in the tournament. Note here that we can use the expression ‘as a result’ at the start of a sentence and in the middle. Both are fine. This expression is formal and it’s normally used when speaking in formal situations or when writing in formal situations.
Expression #3
Look at these reports. Eight of them say eating vegetables is healthy. One of them says eating vegetables is not healthy. As a whole, these reports say that eating vegetables is healthy. ‘As a whole’ means when you look at all of something but you look at it as just one thing. Yes. One report says eating vegetables is not healthy but if you look at all of them as just one thing, they say eating vegetables is healthy.
He walks very slowly and he’s sometimes late. Yeah I know what you mean but he’s a hard worker. As a whole, he’s a good employee. So this means if you look at all of him, he’s a good employee. Yes maybe there are some things that are not good about him but if we look at all of him, he’s a good employee.
Expression #4
As of now, I quit being an English teacher. Number four. As of now. Starting now. From now. Sh! Sh! No talking as of now! Thank you. You can also change ‘now’ to a day, a date or a time. As of the 24th of December, I will officially be on Christmas holidays. This means my Christmas holidays start on the 24th of December.
Expression #5
I want a bike, a game and money as well. Expression number five. As well. ‘As well’ means also. I really want to meet Santa and I want to meet his reindeer as well. ‘As well’ normally goes at the end of a sentence and it doesn’t have anything after it. Christmas is a great time of year. I love Christmas as well as Easter.
Expression #6
Expression number six. As well as. ‘As well as’ means also just like the previous phrase but there’s a big difference. We have another ‘as’ after ‘well’. ‘I love Christmas and Easter as well as’? No. This is wrong because after ‘as well as’, we don’t have a noun. The coach, as well as the team, is ready to play some sport. This means the coach is ready and the team is ready.
Expression #7
They are the best sports team in the world. As if! Number seven. As if. ‘As if’ means you don’t think something is true. We use this phrase when we really doubt that something is true. Pizza’s the best food in the world. As if! Sushi’s the best food in the world! What do you think’s the best food in the world? Comment down below.
Have you seen that guy? He’s acting as if pizza is the best food in the world. ‘As if’ can have a second meaning. ‘As if’ can mean with the appearance of or like something is true. When we look at him, it looks like he thinks that pizza is the best food in the world. Pardon? You want me to look out the window? Okay. No worries. I looked out the window as if there was nothing strange out there. So it looks like I think nothing is strange out there. As if.
Mini review
As of now, we are going to do a mini review. Have a quick look at the first seven expressions and their meanings and then we will continue the lesson. As long as you watch the mini review, you will remember today’s vocabulary.
Expression #8
Number eight. As long as. ‘As long as’ means on the condition that. It means one thing can happen if the other thing happens first. So if you watch the mini review, that’s the first thing, then you will remember the vocabulary. That’s the second thing.
Why aren’t my plants growing? Your plants will grow as long as you water them. If there’s no water, that means your plants won’t grow. But if you water your plants, then your plants will grow.
Expression #9
Number nine. As far as I know. ‘As far as I know’ means from the knowledge that you have right now, you think what you said is true. But you’re not 100% sure. You might not be right because you don’t have enough knowledge. For example, ‘As far I know, there are no chickens in here.’ I was wrong. As far as I know, only one person lives in that house.
Expression #10
Are they gone yet? Good. Good. Good. Good. Okay. Expression number ten. As soon as. ‘As soon as’ means when or very soon after that time. For example, ‘As soon as I finish saying this sentence, the lesson will end.’ Just kidding! We’re not done yet! I haven’t got the report yet. Okay. Call me as soon as you get it. This means when you receive the report, call me. At the time you receive the report, call me.
Expression #11
Number eleven. As is. ‘As is’ means in the current condition. Let’s pretend you buy this car and you know it has a small problem but you still buy it because the seller gives you a good price. You bought the car as is. This means you bought the car in the current condition with its small problem.
You can wear the shirt as is or you can take it to the tailor for a better fit. Wear it like it is now or take it to the tailor. Hm. As to taking clothes to a tailor, I think it’s too expensive.
Expression #12
Number twelve. As to. ‘As to’ means regarding or about. About taking clothes to a tailor, I think it’s too expensive. When does the project start? No information has been given as to the start date of the project. ‘As to’ can be used at the start of a sentence or in the middle. ‘As to’ is formal and it’s normally used in formal spoken and written language.
Expression #13
Has there been any sign of the enemy? No sir. As yet, we have not had any sign of the enemy. Number thirteen. As yet. ‘As yet’ means until and including this moment. As yet, there has been no sign of the enemy. This means in the time before this moment and in this moment, there has been no sign of the enemy. We haven’t seen the enemy.
The president has not read the email as yet but he will read it later today. Up until this time, he has not read the email. ‘As yet’ is a formal expression and it’s normally used in formal spoken and written language. Hey! Can you hear that?
Expression #14
Tanks like that are very strong but as for their speed, they’re very slow. Number fourteen. As for. ‘As for’ means regarding. We normally use ‘as for’ when we’re talking about something else. First, I talked about how strong tanks are. That’s the first thing. And then secondly I talked about the speed. That’s the something else.
Oh! Yeah I stayed at that hotel. The hotel was very comfortable. As for the food, it wasn’t great. I talked about the hotel being comfortable first and then I talked about the food. That’s why we can use ‘as for’ here. Hey! Do you smell that? I think they are bringing us more food.
Expression #15
That’s Sam. Sam is a very friendly person. Last week he lost his job so I think he might be feeling a little bit upset. Let’s ask him! Hey Sam! How are you feeling today? I’m doing great, man! I am enjoying not working and just having some time to myself. Wow! I thought he was going to be upset but he was friendly as ever.
Number fifteen. As ever. ‘As ever’ means like normal. So if I say ‘Sam is friendly as ever’, that means it’s normal. Nothing has changed. Okay. Bye Sam. Catch ya later! She was late as ever for our appointment. This means she is normally late and she was late again. Everything is normal and nothing has changed.
Review
Congratulations! You have learned 15 new expressions today! Have a look at the meanings of these expressions again and then I have challenge for you.
Challenge
The challenge today is choose three expressions from today’s lesson and use each one in a sentence. I can’t wait to read your sentences and I will see you in the next lesson. As soon as I finish this sentence, the lesson is over.