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worksmart
Joined: 11 May 2006 Posts: 88
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:16 pm Post subject: What's the diff? like the best, like the most |
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I am confused on this?
Are the following have the same meaning and grammatically correct?
1) Which one do you like best?
2) Which one do you like THE best?
3) Which one do you like more?
4) Which one do you like better?
Do the first two mean that there are more than two things to choose from.
And the last two mean only two things to choose from?
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2006
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610
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Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2007 6:55 pm Post subject: |
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Although some people say "like (better)(best)", it is not good English and should not be used. You should say 'like (more)(most)'. Of course you use "more" for two of something and "most" for more than two.
You can say 'like the most' but you cannot say 'like the more'. |
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Lorikeet

Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1877 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:10 am Post subject: |
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2006 wrote: |
Although some people say "like (better)(best)", it is not good English and should not be used. You should say 'like (more)(most)'. Of course you use "more" for two of something and "most" for more than two.
You can say 'like the most' but you cannot say 'like the more'. |
Hmm. Do you think that "Which one do you like better?" is wrong? I would use that for sure. I checked my kids (maybe not a surprise!) and they would use it too. Why is it not good English and shouldn't be used? If that's the way people speak, wouldn't you consider it appropriate? |
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2006
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Lorikeet
Even though it is used (? how prevalent), I just think that "like" and "(better)(best)" is a strange and even illogical verb/adverb combination. Of course students can decide for themselves but I think using 'like" with "(more)(most)" is much better.  |
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Lorikeet

Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 1877 Location: San Francisco
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 4:55 pm Post subject: |
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Well I googled it for fun, an unscientific approach, and got the following results:
for "like better" 1,160,000
for "like more" 1,730,000 (Including sentences of the type, "Would you like more ketchup with that?"
for "like best" 1,360,000
So at least we know people use them all a lot  |
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2006
Joined: 27 Nov 2006 Posts: 610
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Posted: Wed Mar 28, 2007 6:12 pm Post subject: |
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So I guess the battle against 'bad English' is a long uphill one.
The last word is yours if you wish.  |
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