発展 · Unit 46
比較 — as 〜 as possible
as + 原級 + as possible と as + 原級 + as + 主語 + can はどちらも「できるだけ〜」という意味で、最大限の程度を表します。possible を使うと主語が要らないので簡潔で、can を使うと時制に合わせて could に変えて過去の文脈にも合わせられます。
概念の説明
as + 原級 + as possible と as + 原級 + as + 主語 + can はどちらも「できるだけ〜」という意味で、最大限の程度を表します。possible を使うと主語が要らないので簡潔で、can を使うと時制に合わせて could に変えて過去の文脈にも合わせられます。
A. as + 原級 + as possible — できるだけ〜
as + 原級 + as possible は、形容詞・副詞の原級をそのままにして前後に as をつけ、最後に possible をつける形で、主語をもう一度言う必要がないため、会話・メール・お知らせで非常によく使われます。
| 代表表現 | 意味 |
|---|---|
| as soon as possible | できるだけ早く (ASAP) |
| as fast as possible | できるだけ速く |
| as much as possible | できるだけたくさん |
| as often as possible | できるだけ頻繁に |
| as clearly as possible | できるだけはっきり |
| as carefully as possible | できるだけ慎重に |
- I'll finish the report as quickly as possible. (レポートをできるだけ早く仕上げます。)
- Please explain as simply as possible. (できるだけ簡単に説明してください。)
- We need to save as much water as possible. (できるだけたくさん水を節約しないといけません。)
B. as + 原級 + as + 主語 + can — 同じ意味の別の言い方
as + 原級 + as + 主語 + can は possible の代わりに主語 + can を入れて同じ意味を表す方式で、過去の文脈では can が could に変わります。as 〜 as possible = as 〜 as 主語 can がこの2つの表現の等価関係です。
| 時制 | 形 | 例 |
|---|---|---|
| 現在・未来 | as + 原級 + as + 主語 + can | I'll come as soon as I can. |
| 過去 | as + 原級 + as + 主語 + could | She ran as fast as she could. |
- I'll help as much as I can. (できるだけたくさんお手伝いします。)
- He answered as honestly as he could. (彼はできるだけ正直に答えました。)
- We arrived as early as we could. (私たちはできるだけ早く到着しました。)
- Please speak as loudly as you can. (できるだけ大きな声で話してください。)
C. 2つの表現の相互変換 — 同じ状況を2通りに
as 〜 as possible と as 〜 as 主語 can は、時制と主語の情報さえ合わせれば自由に言い換えられます。メールやお知らせのように主語を出す必要がないときは possible が簡潔で、文の中の主語がすでに明確なときは主語 + can の形が自然です。
| possible 方式 | 主語 + can/could 方式 |
|---|---|
| I'll do it as fast as possible. | I'll do it as fast as I can. |
| Please come as soon as possible. | Please come as soon as you can. |
| She helped as much as possible. | She helped as much as she could. |
| Speak as clearly as possible. | Speak as clearly as you can. |
- I'll send the file as soon as possible. = I'll send the file as soon as I can. (ファイルをできるだけ早く送ります。)
- Study as much as possible before the exam. = Study as much as you can before the exam. (試験の前にできるだけたくさん勉強してください。)
- She spoke as calmly as possible. = She spoke as calmly as she could. (彼女はできるだけ落ち着いて話しました。)
- Please arrive as early as possible. = Please arrive as early as you can. (できるだけ早く到着してください。)
重要ポイント
- 1as 〜 as possible と as 〜 as 主語 can は意味が完全に同じで、状況に応じて自由に言い換えられます。(例: as soon as possible = as soon as I can)
- 2過去の文脈では as 〜 as 主語 could に時制を合わせ、possible は時制がないのでそのまま使います。(例: She ran as fast as she could.)
- 3as 〜 as possible / can 構文では、形容詞・副詞は必ず原級のままで、-er や more に変えてはいけません。(例: as soon as possible / X: as sooner as possible)
- 4メールやお知らせのように主語が要らないときは possible が簡潔で、文中の主語がすでに明確なときは主語 + can が自然です。(例: Please reply as soon as possible.)
- 5as soon as possible は会話・仕事で ASAP と略される非常によく使われる慣用表現です。(例: I need this ASAP = I need this as soon as possible.)
例文
Please reply as soon as possible.
できるだけ早くお返事ください。
I'll finish the report as quickly as I can.
レポートをできるだけ早く仕上げます。
She ran as fast as she could.
彼女はできるだけ速く走りました。
Speak as clearly as possible.
できるだけはっきり話してください。
He helped as much as he could.
彼はできるだけたくさん手伝ってくれました。
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こんな間違いに注意
Please reply as soon as possible.
She ran as fast as she could yesterday.
I'll come as soon as I can.
Speak as clearly as possible.
Please explain as simply as you can.