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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

the+most+adverb

i taught my children to write THE before MOST and ADVERB. then someone said to me that it is incorrect. now i would very much like to know the correct rule for making superlative adverbs with 'most'. please someone clarify this so i wouldn't go arroud teching kids wrong english.
thank you in advance Emotion: smile
  

Top answer

Both can be correct. You need to add the noun into the mix. Where "most" means "very," we don't use the article.

— Avangi

  • Both can be correct.
  • You need to add the noun into the mix.
  • Where "most" means "very," we don't use the article.
  • This is most interesting!
  • ) When we add the noun, we use the article: This is the most interesting book I've ever read.
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15 Answers
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Both can be correct. You need to add the noun into the mix.

Where "most" means "very," we don't use the article. This is most interesting! (This is very interesting.)

When we add the noun, we use the article: This is the most interesting book I've ever read.
The article goes with the noun: (the book).

You can also u
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Avangi's advice is useful as usual. However, he doesn't address the point which Anon had in mind: the + most + adverb. In such cases, the is usually optional. No doubt there are fixed expressions in which there's no choice if natural, idiomatic English is aimed at.

He can sing [the] most beautifully.

CB
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OMG! Thanks, CB! I just rolled out of bed and switched on the dreaded machine. No coffee! (Well, an aspirin.)
Can't believe I did that. Maybe I started to wake up toward the end of the post.
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Cool BreezeHowever, he doesn't address the point which Anon had in mind: the + most + adverb.
How strange: I too missed that when I read the original post, even though it was in all capital letters! However, I’m sure the children can benefit from the adjective / noun explanation, as well.
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You're too kind, A/G! Emotion: smile
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correct me if I'm wrong.
i understood that you can use THE before most + adverb. it depends of context, as well as the adverb itself.
when you mean to say in general, you say: she sings most beautiflly. but when you want to compare her singing with the definite number of people, you say: she sings the most beautiflly among the three of them.
also, the example: she did her homework most
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I don't know if I can redeem myself.
As CB suggests, "the" is always optional with adverbs. He also suggests that there may be fixed phrases with which we should follow tradition. (We don't have examples yet.)

"Most" can mean "very," but when we use "the," we are prevented from using the "very" option.

Of the three, she can sing most beautifully. (superlative
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There is terminology for these forms.

The vase is [most beautiful / painted most beautifully]. (very) Absolute superlative. Non-comparative superlative.
Of the three vases, this one is [the most beautiful / painted (the) most beautifully]. Comparative superlative. Superlative of comparison.

CJ
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Hi CJ,
If we're instructed to use the superlative of "beautifully" in a sentence, should both the comparative and non-comparative versions be acceptable?

Best wishes, - A.
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AvangiIf we're instructed to use the superlative of "beautifully" in a sentence, should both the comparative and non-comparative versions be acceptable?
They should be, especially if I'm the teacher asking for that word in a sentence.
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