Unit 70: COMPARING THREE OR MORE
We can use both comparative and superlative forms (Unit 68).
[S]: SUPERLATIVE FORM, [C]: COMPARATIVE FORM + than
[S] That was the best film I've ever seen. =
[C] I've never seen a better film than that one.
[S] The Nile is the longest river in the world. =
[C] The Nile is longer than any other river in the world.
[S] Nobody here gets much money but John gets the least. =
[C] Nobody gets much money but John gets less than anybody else.
[S] Everybody ran fast but Maria ran the fastest. =
[C] Everybody ran fast but Maria ran faster than anybody else.
[S] Being in prison is the most boring thing I can imagine. =
[C] I cannot imagine anything more boring than being in prison.
[S] What's the most frightening thing that's ever happened to you?
[S] Could you tell me the way to the nearest supermarket?
It is difficult to make a comparative question when we are comparing more than two.
[S] History is the least useful subject we study at school. =
[C] History is less useful than any other subject we study.
[S] Everybody was hurt in the crash, but John was injured the worst. =
[C] Everybody was hurt in the crash, but John was injured worse than the others.
To make the superlative stronger (if there is a big difference), we can use by far:
That was by far the best film I've ever seen. = much better than any others
NOTICE:
In the hockey team, John gets the most money.
Of the eleven players, John gets the most money.
