A few days ago
Anonymous

What does this question mean? Please, read it all. I teach English as a?

Foreign Language but I really don’t understand the meaning of MAY AS WELL AS in this sentence. Thanks.

“DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON FOR LIFE OFTEN THINK THAT THEY MAY AS WELL BE DEAD AS IN PRISON?”

Top 9 Answers
A few days ago
CAPTAIN BEAR

Favorite Answer

A substitude for may as well is “preferably” which in your sentence can be preferred.
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A few days ago
Jessica C
I believe in this sentence that “may as well” is being used has a comparative term. The writer is asking if being in prison for life and being dead are similar. Essentially the author is asking if being in jail for life and being dead are the same. Is either punishment better than the other?
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A few days ago
Ancient Brick
The context states that being in prison for life is the same as being dead. It’s a comparative statement of equality.
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A few days ago
megalomaniac
In that context ‘may as well as’ means that you would be ‘better off’ dead. (ie – Do you think that people in prison would rather be dead than in prison for life?)
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A few days ago
Anonymous
It asks if you think people in prison for life think “since i am in prison for the rest of my life would it be the same for me if i was dead?” “May as well” basically means something like “equally” or “the same as”

“DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON FOR LIFE OFTEN THINK THAT THEY “COULD EQUALLY” BE DEAD AS IN PRISON?” or

“DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON FOR LIFE OFTEN THINK THAT “THEY ARE THE SAME” as if they were dead?

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A few days ago
lakelover
It is a comparison in your sentence the speaker compares being in prison for life compares to his having been killed. Life will never be the same.
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A few days ago
Anonymous
DO YOU THINK THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE IN PRISON FOR LIFE OFTEN THINK THAT THEY MAY BE DEAD

AS WELL AS IN PRISON.

it means death and prison is same for them.

as well as usually stands for ‘and’.

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A few days ago
Anonymous
They might as well be dead would be better
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A few days ago
Jose
it means that if you are on death row you just should be dead because its the same thing
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