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Okay, so if you're comparing two things, you have to use the comparative, e.g. "Comparing the red car and the blue car, the red car is faster," and you can't say "the red car is fastest."

 

If you're comparing three or more things, however, you use the superlative, e.g. "Comparing the red, yellow, and blue cars, the red car is fastest," and you can't say "the red car is faster."

 

What if, however, you've got three things, but you talk about two of them compared to the third? As in, "Comparing the red, yellow, and blue cars, the red and blue cars are [faster/fastest]."

 

... which would you use?

 

I'm kinda leaning towards the comparative but I'm not sure.

 

When I wake up tomorrow morning (or I should say today morning) the answer will probably seem obvious but oh well.

 

What say ye!

 

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12 Comments


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HAZMAT

Posted

Comparative, I believe, as the red and blue cars are being used a single entity, so to speak.

 

|-|\/|

Cap'n Tek

Posted

Yes, Comparative due to the conjunction.
Vezok's Friend

Posted

Well aparrently red and blue are faster then the yellow car, so if your point is to say that those 2 out of 3 are the fast ones you use faster.

 

But if you say that the blue one is faster then yellow and the red one faster then blue then of course red is fastest.

Reimu

Posted

Faster. Fastest Doesn't sound right.

 

Actually, Fastest is used when comparing more than 2 entities, but when 3 entities are used and 2 are being used against the leftover one, the 2 entities become one for the duration of the comparison.

 

In other words, faster is only used when the fastest is ambiguous.

 

okay, that makes no sense, and it's probably wrong.

 

Faster then.

Nikira

Posted

Or you could always say "the yellow car is slowest." :P

 

-Nikira

SPIRIT

Posted

Or you could simply re-word the sentence: "the red and blue cars are faster than the yellow one". That sounds more natural, in my opinion.

Lluvio

Posted

The red and blue cars are fasters. :P
Neaku

Posted

Out of the red, blue, and yellow cars, the red and blue are the fastest?

 

But yeah for your context, I'd used faster.

Sumiki

Posted

It's proper either way.

 

-=< :s: >=-

Munkiman

Posted

Whichever version is most popular wins.

Cap'n Tek

Posted

Whichever version is most popular wins.

In other words: better as a poll?

 

=P

Bitter Cold

Posted

Whichever version is most popular wins.

Truthiness?

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