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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
Better vs. Best: What's the correct use?
I'm having a discusing with my wife about the use of better and best. We were talking about Gyms and I said:
"This is not one of the better I've seen"
And she told me that I was wrong and corrected me:
"No, you must say - This is not one of the best I've seen"
Who is right? and Why? We want to learn the reason not only know who is right?
Thanks,
Javier and Mich
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"This is not one of the better I've seen"
And she told me that I was wrong and corrected me:
"No, you must say - This is not one of the best I've seen"
Who is right? and Why? We want to learn the reason not only know who is right?
Thanks,
Javier and Mich
<<e-mail removed - please register and post your contact information in your profile if you wish others to contact you -- thanks>>
Top answer
Look at it this way: There is a group of gyms that you classify as "Good"; another group you classify as "Better"; another group you classify as "Best". So any given gym can be among the good ones, among the better ones, or among the best ones that you've seen. For some reason, we can't use good by itself without ones , so you can't say one of the good I've seen .
- Look at it this way: There is a group of gyms that you classify as "Good"; another group you classify as "Better"; another group you classify as "Best".
- So any given gym can be among the good ones, among the better ones, or among the best ones that you've seen.
- For some reason, we can't use good by itself without ones , so you can't say one of the good I've seen .
- It has to be one of the good ones I've seen .
- But either better or best can be used without ones .
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8 Answers
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Look at it this way: There is a group of gyms that you classify as "Good"; another group you classify as "Better"; another group you classify as "Best".
So any given gym can be among the good ones, among the better ones, or among the best ones that you've seen.
For some reason, we can't use good by itself without ones, so you can't say one of the good I've seen. It h
So any given gym can be among the good ones, among the better ones, or among the best ones that you've seen.
For some reason, we can't use good by itself without ones, so you can't say one of the good I've seen. It h
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Obviously the writer, CJ, does not know the difference between SUPERLATIVE and COMPARATIVE. To compare 2 things, one is BETTER than the other. More than that is SUPERLATIVE, such as in most, least, best, etc. Please know what you are talking about before you expound. Thank you
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Hi,
I'll let CJ reply to the substance of your post if he wishes to.
With regard to the last part, please try to avoid personal comments.
Thank you very much,
Clive
I'll let CJ reply to the substance of your post if he wishes to.
With regard to the last part, please try to avoid personal comments.
Thank you very much,
Clive
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I agree with the "Anonymous" comment.
This is not a matter of telling the truth, this is pure grammar.
Superlative vs. comparative. This is grammar 101.
I am better than you > comparative
I am the best one > superlative
I like oranges, the best ones come from Valencia > superlative
I like oranges, one of the best varieties comes from Valencia >
This is not a matter of telling the truth, this is pure grammar.
Superlative vs. comparative. This is grammar 101.
I am better than you > comparative
I am the best one > superlative
I like oranges, the best ones come from Valencia > superlative
I like oranges, one of the best varieties comes from Valencia >
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Hi,
A famous man once said that ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which we should not put.
Clive
A famous man once said that ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which we should not put.
Clive
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I'm always mystified when people find old posts that have truly excellent answers and then either add their own two cents, contributing nothing of further value, or contradict an accepted answer. For anyone who sees this and questions the original response by CJ, it's 100% correct and the people suggesting in the following years that he's wrong are, in fact, the ones who are wrong. (And a bit rude
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