superlaive with using adv.

[Tdol]

The fastest.

[Dany]

Hello,

I agree with you, that you have to use "the" + superlative. But I've got a question. Is it really correct, that you can use the superlative after a verb? This variation sounds really odd to me. I would rather say: He is the fastest swimmer of the four.

Please help, I'm really confused

Dany

[sula54]

I agree with you, that you have to use "the" + superlative. But I've got a question. Is it really correct, that you can use the superlative after a verb? This variation sounds really odd to me. I would rather say: He is the fastest swimmer of the four.

This question remains me the other question I have asked in the previous time. The title of my question is “I like ~~~ most” and “I like ~~~ the most”

Now I would like to show the explanation from Casiopea as follows:

"most", note the suffix -est, is a superlative. That's its form, and it's either introduced by "the", a definite article, or followed by "of all", which is also defining:

I like her the most.
I like her most (of all).

"of all" is often omitted, which is probably why "most" was not as common as "the most" in your search.

I think that case is pretty similar to this case. If it is so, then…

He got up the earliest in his family.
He got up earliest (of all) in his family.

Both of these sentences should be fine.
In addition, in the grammar book “Practical English Usage” (by Michael Swan) page 339 suggests:

5. (the) most as an adverb
(The) most can also be used as an adverb. The is often dropped in an informal style.
Ex. They all talk a lot, but your little girl talks (the) most.
The truth hurts most.

6. superlative adjectives and adverbs
(The) most is used to make the superlative forms of longer adjectives and most adverbs.

Although he doesn’t say whither we can drop “the” out if we don’t use “most” to form superlative adverbs, I do believe if we drop “the” out is acceptable. Therefore,

He swims the fastest of the four.
He swims fastest of the four.

The two sentences will be all right in my point of view.

In fact, if you search from Google you will find that there are more people using “run the fastest” than using “run fastest”.

[Dany]

Thanks a lot for your explanation Now, I have understood it.


Best regards,
Dany