Superlative Degree
The arrival of late October and the departure of England's team to Australia can do funny things to the most pragmatic of cricketing folk.
I found the line in Guardian News. My question is that why "the most pragmatic" is here rather than " the most pragmatic cricketing folk" as after adjective pragmatic needs a noun like cricketing folk?
Top answer
In the construction: the most adjective of plural noun the singular noun after the adjective is assumed and omitted. There may be more than one in the superlative category, too. Sometimes there is a tie.
- In the construction: the most adjective of plural noun the singular noun after the adjective is assumed and omitted.
- There may be more than one in the superlative category, too.
- Sometimes there is a tie.
- The longer version is too wordy, so we take an obvious short cut.
- Here are some examples.
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In the construction:
the most adjective of plural noun
the singular noun after the adjective is assumed and omitted. There may be more than one in the superlative category, too. Sometimes there is a tie.
The longer version is too wordy, so we take an obvious short cut. Here are some examples.
Caveat: this is rather rare in conversation.
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