'As well as' and 'in addition to' | ||
Van
Anh from Vietnam asks: My question is: what is followed by as well as? For example, can we say I can swim as well as cook well? |
Roger replies: | ||
I think it all depends on whether it is used as part of an adverbial phrase when making comparisons, in which case the infinitive or simple form of the verb is the norm, or whether it is used as a conjunction introducing clauses of comparison and similar in meaning to in addition to, in which case the '-ing' pattern is required. Let us compare the two usages: as + adj + as + clause/phrase as + adv + as + clause/phrase For
example:
Note
that if an adjective is placed between as and the noun,
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What is interesting in your example, Van Anh, is that if you say: 'I can swim as well as cook well', you are stating that these are two things that you can do, whereas if you say: 'I can swim as well as I can cook', you are stating that you can do both these things to an equal degree of proficiency. When
we use as well as - similar in meaning and usage to in
addition to - as a subordinating conjunction, the '-ing' form
in the verb which follows is required:
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Note
here that the adverb as well is similar in meaning to as
well as and is often used as an alternative to too. Note
that both as well and too must be used at the end of
the sentence:
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Note
the special use of as long as which is similar in meaning and
use to provided that. Both are more emphatic forms of if
and are used to introduce conditions:
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