I most often buy books online. OR I the most often buy books online.

[Soleil]

Hello! I’m a bit confused about the superlative forms of adverbs, particularly about the article “the” which we normally should put before the superlative form of adverbs.

I notice that the article “the” isn’t used in all cases and I can’t find any rule on this subject. Could you please clarify it?

Why we don’t use “the” in these sentences?

• Which month do you like best?
• I live nearest to the station.
• I most often buy books online.
• You can contact me most easily by e-mail.

 

[Barque]

Why don't we don’t use “the” in these sentences?

Please note the correction above.

• Which month do you like best?
• I live nearest to the station.

In the first two sentences, "the" is optional before "best" and "nearest".

I can't explain why it can be dropped. That's just how it is, I'm afraid.

I most often buy books online.

Do you mean before "books"? This refers to books in general and not any specific books.

You contact me most easily by e-mail.

The word "can" is needed before "contact". "The" isn't needed before "email" because it's a general reference.

If you're asking if "the" is needed before "most", no, it isn't. That'd make it unnatural. Again, I don't know how to explain why.

 

[Soleil]

If you're asking if "the" is needed before "most", no, it isn't. That'd make it unnatural. Again, I don't know how to explain why.

Yes, I meant the article "the" before the word "most". I cannot find a rule explaining it.

 

[jutfrank]

Your question's rather broad so you should narrow it down. Are you asking about adverbs only? Are you looking only for cases where you shouldn't use the?

If you want to ask about any of your four examples, I suggest we deal with them one at at time.

 

[Soleil]

Your question's rather broad so you should narrow it down. Are you asking about adverbs only? Are you looking only for cases where you shouldn't use the?

If you want to ask about any of your four examples, I suggest we deal with them one at at time.

Yes, I am asking only about adverbs and I am looking for cases where I shouldn't use "the". I learnt that I should always use the article "the" before the superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs and I came across some examples where it was not used. So, I am confused.

 

[jutfrank]

Let's start with modifying verbs with best:

I work best with a team around me.
I don't know how to best understand this.
People learn best by doing.

In all of these cases above, best says something about the way that the verb is done, not the degree. You can't use the in these cases. The opposite of best is worst.

If you're talking about degree, you can use best or most or least.

I like the red one the best.
He's the one who talks the most.
This one has been used the least.

In these cases, best and most mean the same thing. Their opposite is least. The article can be omitted in cases of degree.

You can apply this idea of degree to other superlatives:

Of the three of us, I live the nearest to the station.

The idea here is of nearness by degree, so you can omit the article here.

 

[Soleil]

Let's start with modifying verbs with best:

I work best with a team around me.
I don't know how to best understand this.
People learn best by doing.

In all of these cases above, best says something about the way that the verb is done, not the degree. You can't use the in these cases. The opposite of best is worst.

If you're talking about degree, you can use best or most or least.

I like the red one the best.
He's the one who talks the most.
This one has been used the least.

In these cases, best and most mean the same thing. Their opposite is least. The article can be omitted in cases of degree.

You can apply this idea of degree to other superlatives:

Of the three of us, I live the nearest to the station.

The idea here is of nearness by degree, so you can omit the article here.

Thank you very much for your clear explanation! I have one more question: "If I don't omit the article in the case of degree, it doesn't sound natural, does it?
On British Council LearnEnglish site, they don't consider "the nearest" as a right answer.

 

[jutfrank]

I have one more question: "If I don't omit the article in the case of degree, it doesn't sound natural, does it?

Both ways sound natural, don't worry.

On British Council LearnEnglish site, they don't consider "the nearest" as a right answer.

Well, it is. With nearest and closest and farthest, I think it's a bit more likely that a native speaker would drop the article but it's okay if you don't.

 

[Tarheel]

Bob: Which grocery store is the nearest?
Jane: Food Lion is the nearest.

 

[emsr2d2]

Bob: Which grocery store is the nearest?
Jane: Food Lion is the nearest.

More natural, though:

Bob: Which grocery store is [the] nearest?
Jane: Food Lion.

I have posted this purely as another reminder to all learners that native speakers rarely repeat unnecessary parts of a question in their response.

 

[Tdol]

Thank you very much for your clear explanation! I have one more question: "If I don't omit the article in the case of degree, it doesn't sound natural, does it?
On British Council LearnEnglish site, they don't consider "the nearest" as a right answer.

The sentence doesn't compare where you live to other people. If that is the whole context, I would just use near.

 

[Tarheel]

More natural, though:

Bob: Which grocery store is [the] nearest?
Jane: Food Lion.

I have posted this purely as another reminder to all learners that native speakers rarely repeat unnecessary parts of a question in their response.

Jane would normally agree with you. However, she is helping Bob demonstrate that "the nearest" is perfectly natural under the circumstances. (Jane doesn't shop at Food Lion. Her tastes are more upscale. )