"Experienced the *fastest* growth"?

I have a question about this sentence:

Canada experienced the fastest growth in Internet usage.

From what I know about superlatives, the grammar structure is: S + be + the + adj. Therefore I am confused about the example. Is the sentence correct?

BinhPHT

Posted 2013-12-09T09:12:42.333

Reputation:

"Don't learn grammar from the cheapest book you can find." :) – Kaz – 2013-12-10T22:07:15.830

Answers

Yes, it's grammatical. The use of superlative adjectives is not confined to the structure you describe.

Barrie England

Posted 2013-12-09T09:12:42.333

Reputation: 7 553

Compare: John bought the biggest pumpkin (in the supermarket). – Edwin Ashworth – 2013-12-09T09:28:00.340

For using superlatives, there is no formula S + be + the + adj. Although this is common, it is not a rule.

The only "rules" are that the comparison is between at least two, and you can use the adj. + -est, or most or least.

My most embarrassing mistake tonight was forgetting the name of the hostess.

My biggest mistake tonight was forgetting the name of our hostess.

anongoodnurse

Posted 2013-12-09T09:12:42.333

Reputation: 1 621

The structure you gave is A valid structure, but it is not the ONLY valid structure.

Grammatically, you can use a superlative in any or almost any sentence structure in which you could use an adjective. Of course the specific words have to make sense in context, but a superlative is an adjective and can be used like one.

There's the structure you gave: "Our Internet is fast." "Our Internet is the fastest."

But adjectives are used in many other ways. "Today I drove a red car." "Today I drove the fastest car."

"Bob, a bald man, took off his hat." "Bob, the biggest man, took off his hat."

Etc etc.

Jay

Posted 2013-12-09T09:12:42.333

Reputation: 51 729