It really just depends upon context. However, they do have different meanings. I’ve always been taught the first one as it sounds like a comparative "It is better to stay here (than to go away)"

Is it wrong to say that we can use or omit "the" before "best" with an adverb without any change of meaning, but when we use "most" with an adverb, the meaning of the sentence changes? As you said, the subject of the sentence is plural, and the verb "are", reflects this (as apposed to "is"). Is the use of "one" correct in the above sentence since the subject is plural (Honda and Toyota)?

This makes the singular word "one" completely out of the question. A couple examples of how to construct the sentence would be "Honda and Toyota are two of the best selling car makers in the US." or "Honda and Toyota are each one of the best selling car makers in the US." I realize i could put "two" or "some" instead but wouldn’t the meaning change slightly?

Answers 4

The second sentence, as you said, contains a superlative, "best." In English, unlike in some other languages such as Spanish, the superlative does not require a definite article. I’ve also been taught that "the best" is a superlative, but I can’t understand "best" in sentence 2. The same would apply if it were an adverbial. When it is the subject, inversion does not take place. "Ever" means "of all time", but the exact meaning changes with the tense.

Answer 1

You are correct in saying is a comparison to, for example, going findmsinteractive.info away. Should we stay here, go home, go bowling, or go to a movie? Some would say that the first sentence would be better when there are only two options. In fact, it would actually sound weird to say, "It is the best to stay here."

• I realize i could put "two" or "some" instead but wouldn’t the meaning change slightly?
• Watching sports is a very social pastime and best experienced at the place where the match is unfolding.
• As you said, the subject of the sentence is plural, and the verb "are", reflects this (as apposed to "is").
• So "best experienced" means the best way to experience something.
• In that context, the phrase the best can also be used as if it were an adverb.

No, technically the use of "one" is incorrect, yet such a phrase is common in most American English speech. In your example "experienced" is the verb that is receiving best. Best here is used as an adverb as it provides the description of the experience of watching sport (verb) "at the place where the match is unfolding.".

Answers 2

Your original is correct as-is, except you need to remove the question mark at the end because it’s not a question. My question is, what is the correct way to write this clause? I am not clear on the last bit of the sentence, "which one is the best". Which is correct, "I like you the best" or "I like you best"? This is correct even if Mr. Smith is still working as a teacher, as long as the speaker’s relationship to Mr. Smith has changed. In the context of a person, use "is" if the person is still in the role/relationship you are talking about, and "was" if they’re not in that role/relationship anymore.

However, sometimes grammar demands one or the other. In many sentences it will not matter if "best" or "the best" is used. Either is acceptable, and the practical meaning is the same, but their referents, implicit not explicit, are different. In an answer on englishforums.com it says that both are exactly the same.

It may be confusing because sometimes, "experienced" is also used as an adjective (meaning expert) (link). A question word can function as subject, object, complement or adverbial. In that context, the phrase the best can also be used as if it were an adverb.

Answers 2

They are both superlatives, as they are a progression of state from one another. Implies that to stay here is better than anything else, and no other suggestion would be better than it. But may not be as good as another suggestion, for example, staying at a friend’s house.

Can somebody clear me on how to use this word as an adverb and the appropriate structure with it? To answer your first question, yes, both sentences are correct. In your sentence, which is the subject, so no inversion takes place. When the subject and the auxiliary verb are swapped over, it’s called inversion. I hope we can both agree this sentence is wrong because "good" is an adjective, and cannot be the subject of "is".