As Well As Meaning: The Small Phrase That Confuses Learners
Most often, as well as means “in addition to” or “and also.” It can also mean “equally well as” when you compare how well someone does something.
- As Well As Meaning: Why This Phrase Is Not Always “And”
- How to Use “As Well As” in a Sentence
- Can “As Well As” Start a Sentence?
- Is “As Well As” a Conjunction?
- A Short Dialogue with “As Well As”
- Useful Chunks with “As Well As”
- A Dog Who Takes Fetch Very Seriously
- Avoid These Mistakes with “As Well As”
- Don’t Confuse “As Well As” with “As Well,” “Too,” or “Just As Well”
- As Well As Grammar Exercises
- Quick recap
As Well As Meaning: Why This Phrase Is Not Always “And”
A teacher says:
For the test, you need to study vocabulary as well as grammar.
This means that grammar is not the only thing you need. Vocabulary is important too.
Most often, as well as adds one more thing to something already mentioned. It is close to and also or in addition to.
- grammar as well as vocabulary = grammar + vocabulary
- writing as well as editing = writing + editing
So when you see as well as between two nouns, two actions, or two adjectives, it usually means that both are true or both are included.
- We discussed the price as well as the schedule.
We discussed the price, and we also discussed the schedule.
The important point in as well as meaning is this: it is not just a fancy version of and. With and, the two parts often feel equal. With as well as, the second part often feels added to the first part, not placed on exactly the same level.
Compare:
- Tom and Sarah are coming.
Tom and Sarah are presented equally. - Tom, as well as Sarah, is coming.
Tom is the main person in the sentence. Sarah is added as extra information.
This difference matters later for grammar, especially with subject–verb agreement.
Sometimes as well as does not mean “in addition to.” It can mean “equally well as”, especially after verbs like sing, play, speak, write, know, work, perform.
Compare:
- She speaks French as well as Spanish.
She speaks two languages: French and Spanish. - She speaks French as well as her teacher does.
Her French is at the same level as her teacher’s French.
When the words after as well as are another thing, action, or quality, the meaning is usually addition.
When the words after as well as compare ability, quality, or performance, the meaning is usually equally well.
How to Use “As Well As” in a Sentence
The main as well as grammar rules are to keep both sides similar, and be careful when the phrase adds extra information to the subject. Look at the word before as well as. After as well as, use the same type of word.
Two things:
The ticket includes parking as well as breakfast.
Here we have two things: parking and breakfast.
Two actions:
The role includes planning events as well as managing budgets.
Here we have two actions in the same form: planning and managing.
Not:
The role includes planning events as well as manage budgets.
That sounds wrong because planning and manage do not match.
You often see as well as followed by -ing when both parts are actions.
Two qualities:
The design is modern as well as practical.
Here we have two adjectives: modern and practical.
One more important rule is as well as subject verb agreement: when as well as adds extra information after the subject, the verb usually agrees with the first subject.
The director, as well as the assistants, was late.
Why was, not were? Because the main subject is the director. The assistants are extra information.
Compare:
Tom and Sarah are coming.
Tom, as well as Sarah, is coming.
In normal conversation, use the first version. It sounds simpler and more natural.
Sometimes as well as means “as well as someone does something”:
He explains grammar as well as a professional teacher.
This means: his grammar explanations are just as good as a professional teacher’s explanations.
Comma and as well as usually appear together when the phrase adds extra information in the middle of the sentence.
The main speaker, as well as two guests, was invited to the event.
The commas show that as well as two guests is added information. If as well as simply connects two objects, you usually do not need commas:
The ticket includes parking as well as breakfast.
Can “As Well As” Start a Sentence?
You will usually see as well as in the middle of a sentence:
The ticket includes parking as well as breakfast.
Using as well as at the beginning of a sentence is possible, but it often sounds formal:
As well as managing the team, she writes client reports.
In everyday English, in addition to is often clearer at the beginning:
In addition to managing the team, she writes client reports.
Is “As Well As” a Conjunction?
Strictly speaking, as well as is not a normal conjunction like and. In modern grammar, it is often treated as a multi-word preposition.
Why does this matter? Because as well as does not always behave like and.
Tom and Sarah are coming.
Here, and joins two equal subjects, so the verb is plural: are.
Tom, as well as Sarah, is coming.
Here, as well as Sarah is added information. The main subject is Tom, so the verb is singular: is.
You can think of as well as as a connector. But for grammar, remember this: it is not a simple replacement for and.
A Short Dialogue with “As Well As”
Mia is starting a new part-time job at a small hotel. Her manager is explaining what she will do on her first day.
Manager: You’ll start at the front desk today.
Mia: Okay. Will I only check guests in?
Manager: Mostly, yes. But you’ll answer phone calls as well as welcome guests when they arrive.
Mia: No problem. Should I write messages down if someone calls?
Manager: Yes, please. And if you’re not sure about anything, ask me before you answer.
Mia: Got it. I’ll keep a notebook with me.
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Useful Chunks with “As Well As”
|
includes ___ as well as ___ |
to say what is included in a ticket, service, course, or plan |
|
works with ___ as well as ___ |
to talk about devices, tools, or groups |
|
helps with ___ as well as ___ |
to add a second problem or skill |
|
responsible for ___ as well as ___ |
to describe duties at work |
|
useful for ___ as well as ___ |
to show two groups or situations |
|
as well as being ___ |
to add another role or quality |
A Dog Who Takes Fetch Very Seriously
Avoid These Mistakes with “As Well As”
Using “as well as” at the end
- Wrong:I bought coffee as well as.
- Correct:I bought coffee as well.I bought tea as well as coffee.
- Why: As well can stand at the end. As well as usually needs something after it.
Missing the second “as”
- Wrong:She speaks English as well French.
- Correct:She speaks English as well as French.
- Why: The fixed expression is as well as, not as well before a noun.
Using the wrong verb after “as well as”
- Wrong:The job involves writing reports as well as meet clients.
- Correct:The job involves writing reports as well as meeting clients.
- Why: Keep the structure parallel. After involves, use -ing: writing and meeting.
Confusing “as well as” and “as good as”
- Wrong: She sings as good as her sister.
- Correct: She sings as well as her sister.
- Why: Use well when you describe an action. Good describes a person or thing: She is as good as her sister, but She sings as well as her sister.
Don’t Confuse “As Well As” with “As Well,” “Too,” or “Just As Well”
As well means “also” or “too.” It can stand at the end of a sentence.
I invited Mark as well.
As well as needs another word or phrase after it.
I invited Mark as well as Sarah.
The key point in as well as vs as well is simple: as well can finish a sentence; as well as usually cannot.
Too is close to as well and sounds very natural in conversation.
I invited Mark too.
Me as well is a casual short answer.
A: I’m tired.
B: Me as well.
Just as well is different. It means something is lucky or convenient.
It’s just as well we left early. The traffic was terrible.
As Well As Grammar Exercises
1.Choose the sentence that sounds natural.
A. The app works on laptops as well as tablets.
B. The app works on laptops as well as.
2.Correct the grammar.
The job includes answering calls as well as prepare documents.
3.What does the sentence mean?
She writes emails as well as her manager does.
A. She and her manager both write emails.
B. Her emails are at the same level as her manager’s.
4.Choose the better sentence for a casual message.
A. I invited Dan as well.
B. I invited Dan as well as.
5.Choose the correct verb.
The owner, as well as the two assistants, ___ responsible for the mistake.
A. is
B. are
6.Rewrite the sentence with as well as.
The course teaches pronunciation. It also teaches listening skills.
Answer key:
- A — as well as needs something after it.
- answering calls as well as preparing documents — both actions should use the same form.
- B — this is comparison: she writes equally well.
- A — as well can stand at the end; as well as cannot.
- A — the main subject is the owner.
- The course teaches pronunciation as well as listening skills — it adds a second thing the course teaches.
