Japatan
Formation
- N + ほど + 〜ない
- V普通形 + ほど + 〜ない(思ったほど・心配したほど など)
Explanation
AはBほど〜ない compares two things and means "A is not as ~ as B," so B has more of the quality. With verbs like 思った or 心配していた, it means "not as ~ as I expected." The predicate after ほど must be negative.
Examples
今年の冬は、去年ほど寒くない。
This winter is not as cold as last year's.
私は、兄ほど上手に泳げない。
I can't swim as well as my older brother.
話題のラーメンを食べたが、思ったほどおいしくなかった。
I tried the popular ramen, but it wasn't as good as I expected.
新しい仕事は、心配していたほど大変ではなかった。
The new job was not as hard as I had worried it would be.
Notes
NほどAはない means "nothing is as A as N" (家族ほど大切なものはない). Without a negative, ほど does not express this comparison.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1バスは便利だが、電車（ ）速くない。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 ほど
"Buses are convenient, but they are not as fast as trains." ほど〜ない compares the two. The other choices do not express comparison.
2旅行は楽しかったが、天気は思った（ ）よくなかった。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 ほど
"The trip was fun, but the weather wasn't as good as I expected." 思ったほど〜ない means "not as ~ as expected." The other choices do not fit.
3「リンさんはマリアさんほど背が高くない。」と同じ意味の文はどれですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 マリアさんはリンさんより背が高い。
"Lin is not as tall as Maria" means Maria is taller than Lin, so 4 is correct.
