as they can vs as much as they can

Both phrases are correct, but they have slightly different meanings and contexts. 'As they can' implies doing something to the best of their ability, while 'as much as they can' emphasizes the extent or quantity of what they are able to do. The choice between the two depends on whether you want to focus on the effort or the amount of action.

Last updated: April 01, 2024 • 1932 views

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"as they can"

This phrase is used to indicate that someone is doing something to the best of their ability.

Examples:

The students are working as they can to finish the project on time.
The team is playing as they can to win the championship.

Show examples from the web [+]

The renos are going as fast as they can.
There is depth records, where people go as deep as they can.
Everybody is running from everything, as far as they can.
Priority must be given to the interoperability of space systems as they can have different origins.
Benchmarks based on the standardised approach are not currently considered appropriate to be computed in the case of market risk, as they can lead to distortions.
Marrying in a hurry, as quickly as they can...
Okay, everybody move as quietly as they can.
Okay, everybody move as quietly as they can.
Everybody wants as many drugs as they can get.
I need SAC P.D. to 1065 Oak Terrace fast as they can.
My fighters are taking out the bombers as fast as they can, but there are just too many.
Dekker's called in the damage control team, they're working as fast as they can.
When Petrov's motorcade arrives, have the band already playing as loud as they can.
We're going to need armed backup and as many bodies as they can spare.
They're moving as fast as they can.
They're working as fast as they can.
They're draining the water from your lungs as fast as they can.
Parents want to be around for their children as long as they can.
They're lining their pockets as fast as they can.
You know, animals make their mark as high up in a tree as they can possibly reach.

Alternatives:

to the best of their ability
as well as they can
as best as they can
to the best of their capacity

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"as much as they can"

This phrase is used to emphasize the extent or quantity of what someone is able to do.

Examples:

The volunteers are helping as much as they can with the relief efforts.
The workers are producing as much as they can to meet the demand.

Show examples from the web [+]

I therefore call on the new Member States, especially the Czech Republic, to do as much as they can to ease the bureaucratic burden on applicants in respect of the recently drafted programme documents for the period 2007-2013.
Finally, Madam President, I would also like to make a case for the Council and the Commission to do as much as they can to extend the list of substances in the Rotterdam Convention.
Echoing the new German Chancellor, Mrs Merkel, let me tell this House that a multi-cultural society is unworkable and that immigrants residing in Europe legally must be encouraged to adapt as much as they can.
Everyone should want to accomplish as much as they can in life before it's too late.
Yet others do as much as they can to avoid them.
Müller thinks they've had as much as they can take.
Ports are clearly a very important factor when we discuss fulfilment of the Kyoto commitments in as much as they can ease the pressure on land transport and make things easier in a wide range of other areas.
I have also suggested that, as we are moving towards an information society in the next century, the centres do as much as they can to benefit from the new technologies which are becoming available.
I would like finally to say that it would be very useful for Europol and Interpol to be able to cooperate in this work as much as they can.
They last as much as they can, Maretta did for 2 years, this one will last 2 days.
I would also like to tell other speakers that electronic resources, both for information and for communication, are heavily used by researchers, and that they already use them as much as they can.
Gorillas and orangutans, for instance, afford about 30 billion neurons by spending eight and a half hours per day eating, and that seems to be about as much as they can do.
They may be prepared to take certain measures, but as few and as little as possible, and they then try to snatch back as much as they can.
Therefore, this Parliament, rather than accusing the lawful authorities who are doing as much as they can, should instead try to get the European Union to carry out its obligations.
Only as much as they can carry.
Only as much as they can carry.
To increase their chances of a bailout, banks in the eurozone periphery will doubtless borrow as much as they can from politically connected banks and investors in the core countries.
Whilst we need to guide them, to help them contribute to the Lisbon objectives as much as they can and show respect for the Convention's fundamental principles, we should not overlook their individuality.
His aides will keep him out with the voters as much as they can... especially in the midwest.
His aides will keep him out with the voters as much as they can... especially in the midwest.

Alternatives:

to the best of their ability
as well as they can
as best as they can
to the best of their capacity

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as they can vs as much as they can

"as they can"

"as much as they can"

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