Is 'the' mandatory before 'most'?
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- Raja28
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Is 'the' mandatory before 'most'?
The narrative, for the most part, is engaging.
Though it's been taught that the superlative should be preceded by 'the', I feel that the former sentence without 'the' is acceptable. Would love to know the views of the community.
- MrsCatInTheHat
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If "parts" were pleural, you can say, "The narrative, for most parts, is engaging."Raja28 wrote: ↑26 Jul 2018, 21:13 The narrative, for most part, is engaging. or
The narrative, for the most part, is engaging.
Though it's been taught that the superlative should be preceded by 'the', I feel that the former sentence without 'the' is acceptable. Would love to know the views of the community.
"The narrative, for the most parts, is engaging" wouldn't sound right.
- Raja28
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Thank you, for the clarification!
- Raja28
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That makes sense. Thank you!
- jgraney8
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In your sentence, "the narrative, for the most part, is engaging", part is not used as separate units, so the most part is correct. Now, if you revised it to say, "Most parts of the narrative are engaging." You are now using parts as separate countable pieces.
Another way of looking at it is "for the most part" is a fixed phrase in English.
I hope this helps.
― Michel de Montaigne, The Complete Essays
- Raja28
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Thank you for the explanation! I think I'm getting to understand it better.jgraney8 wrote: ↑21 Aug 2018, 23:03 Most seems to be used in two ways as an adjective. One is as a superlative as in the most intelligent, the most useful tools, the most amazing show. The second is when it has the meaning of a majority of as in most people know, most New Yorkers.
In your sentence, "the narrative, for the most part, is engaging", part is not used as separate units, so the most part is correct. Now, if you revised it to say, "Most parts of the narrative are engaging." You are now using parts as separate countable pieces.
Another way of looking at it is "for the most part" is a fixed phrase in English.
I hope this helps.
- kfwilson6
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Thank you!!
- Raja28
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Got it! Thank you
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- Raja28
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